The Lone Wolf Tenten's Story
by Ten1010Ten
Summary: Tenten's adventures with the Bashosen in the war, battling Edo Kakuzu, Toroi, Guren, Hiruko, 4 Celestials, allying with Kurotsuchi, Darui, Hiashi, Yuugao, C, Ibiki, Kurenai, Kitsuchi, Ko, Temari, Kankuro etc. Significant K11 appearances, strong focus on NejiTen and Tenten's bond with Ino. Tenten's past is revealed, her mother focused in flashbacks, featuring Hiruzen, Danzo, Yugito.
1. Chapter 1

**PROLOGUE**

"Tenten! Now!"

Konoha's weapons mistress felt her own heartbeat accelerate, the sense of urgency in her comrade's voice adding that additional thrill of this particular fight. Her face a picture of grim determination, the 17- year old kunoichi of Team Guy spun around in mid-air, performing one of her signature moves that was a blurry vision of graceful yet deadly beauty. The weapons shot out of the spiralling scrolls that surrounded her nimble body, following her exceptionally remarkable sense of accuracy that saw the approaching masses of the opponents' range of tools at their disposals being sliced through and taken out by the girl's amazing variety of projectile weapons.

Almost as soon as she landed, Tenten felt her own body moving on its own accord, possessed by a strange force that propelled her out of a sneaky trail of shadow that was threatening to curl around her ankle. For the next split second, she let her friend help her flip away from the danger, but immediately after that, once the hold on her mind and body was released and she was in control of her own movements again, Tenten, in the middle of a series of back-flips, summoned a wooden bo-staff. The next few moments saw her send a few hard swings of the sturdy weapon across the opponent's body, the last one sweeping him off his feet and causing him to attempt an awkward roll away while abandoning his shadow techniques.

Right behind her, she felt the tremors that now shook the ground and split it open, sending tons of rock debris whizzing through the air in all directions. She reacted at once by releasing a gigantic, metallic shield while sprinting away from the impact of her comrade's amazing strength, feeling the rock and soil break up against her shield. As the opponent's summoned beasts came rumbling towards her in one more valiant effort to take her down, a figure landed right in front of her, and Tenten immediately crouched down behind her comrade, safe for the moment in a bluish cocoon of chakra energy.

"Tenten! To your left!"

Nodding silently in the affirmative, Tenten felt her throat go dry as she realised who the next attacker was. The speed and force at which the wind techniques being used just a distance from her warned her about past battles that had had her sprawling across the ground in seconds, but the girl was not going let this happen again. Sending the gleaming shield spinning towards her current opponent, she knew that he would only be delayed for a moment.

Now, a moment was all she needed. Not two, not three, but just this one moment. The moment she knew he would have to take one step back as he prepared for his next move.

"Now!" she felt her own voice scream in her mind. Seemingly out of nowhere, a mass of chains flew at the youth, the sudden release of metal resounding loudly in the air. With barely a moment to catch his breath, Tenten's partner put up his famed barrier of defence calmly, the blue spiral of energy cruelly tearing up the surrounding soil. She managed almost a slight smirk as the chains she had summoned fell loosely to the ground, and did a mental count, knowing that he would de-activate the Kaiten in the next second.

True enough, the flawless face of Neji Hyuuga appeared as the blue chakra around him dissipated, wearing a cool grin as his eyes now met Tenten's own brown irises. His right leg stretched out, his left knee bent, Team Guy's prodigy genius had his arms still raised in a defensive stance, but it was quite evident to his comrade that he had his guard slightly down.

"Now," Tenten heard her own voice manage a soft whisper in her head, even as her own vocal chords now vibrated the single syllable "Ka!"

The chains lying lifeless around the white-clad boy were suddenly resuscitated, as the tags wrapped around strategic parts of the chains were activated by their owner's confident, loud command. As the ground surrounding Neji, genuinely caught unawares at this particular moment, blew up for a second time in the last minute, Tenten bolted towards him wielding a single kunai in her left hand.

"Got you."

Those were the words echoing in Tenten's mind, but it was actually Neji who had voiced them out in his own signature baritone. The girl felt an almost inaudible gasp expelled from her lips as she felt her kunai being knocked out of her hand by a single sliver of blue energy that had escaped from the Hyuuga boy's extended finger. Just as Neji was about to place his right palm on Tenten's right shoulder, the touch that would indicate his team winning this fight, he froze suddenly, his fingers outstretched in mid-air.

"As I was going to say what you'd just said," Tenten now whispered teasingly. "Got you."

As she gripped his strong shoulder, the surroundings erupted in a series of groans and higher-pitched cheers. Neji felt Ino's presence leave his body, and his right hand now held Tenten's shoulder. The two exchanged a yet another brief moment, their lips curled upwards, their gentle intakes of oxygen causing their chests to heave slightly. Tenten felt her cheeks flush out of both victory and embarrassment, knowing that the sudden silence around them would soon be filled with Ino and Sakura's giggles. Summoning the most arrogant look she could, she braced herself as her knees threatened to buckle under the immense tension in the air and yelled out loudly "We won!" before painfully detaching herself from Neji's touch and joining the other girls in their celebratory throes.

"That was rash, Tenten."

Shikamaru's words did nothing to jolt Tenten as she felt the tension built up from the last hour's exertions slowly ebb away from her body. The cool water they were now sitting on shimmered as it reflected the rays of the blazing afternoon sun, the gentle ripples and waves a testament of the eleven teenagers training their chakra levels even as the group's top strategist was giving them their debrief. Right now, he was commenting on Tenten's head-on attack at Neji and she was listening intently, nodding in agreement but slightly distracted by the minor bruising her wooden staff had given his chin minutes ago.

"I thought her attacking Neji with a single kunai was a way of keeping his guard down and distracting him so that Ino's Shintensen would catch him unawares," Kiba Inuzuka yawned as he stretched his arms upwards. "Which did work, by the way."

"Yes, it did this time," the Naru teen now rubbed his chin unconsciously. "But that's because we know one another's techniques so well. On the battlefield, we wouldn't know our enemy's techniques. And let's be honest, Tenten, a single kunai would do little to hurt whoever is in Kabuto and Madara's forces."

Sakura's pink hair floated in the breeze as she shook her head in disagreement.

"That's not true. A well-placed kunai can kill one in an instance. Tenten's pin-point accuracy has proven this on many missions and…"

"Exactly my point," Shikamaru shrugged, the slight furrow of his eyebrows doing nothing to cause Sakura any resentment at his interruption. The eleven of them had agreed that their last training session before being deployed a few days later into their various divisions, and each and every one of them was taking their peers' feedback very seriously. The morning had seen the various teams battle against one another, but the last hour had seen the four kunoichi – Hinata Hyuuga, Ino Yamanaka, Sakura Haruno and Tenten - take on Shino Aburame, Sai, Shikamaru and Neji, while Kiba, Rock Lee and Chouji Akimichi took a breather and observed within the training field.

"Tenten's expertise lies in her projectile weapons, and the fact she can fire them at the enemy from a distance gives her the advantage of not having to approach the enemy up close whenever possible. Heck, you girls are all split up into different divisions, mind you. Ino wouldn't be around to work in the way she did with Tenten on the battlefield, no matter how impressive it was just now. Tenten, you were placed in Division One for a reason, and that reason is to…"

The awkward silence that now filled the air caused Shikamaru to stop abruptly. For the past week, no one else had mentioned the way the eleven of them were split up in the Shinobi Alliance's six divisions until now. Tenten felt her cheeks burn as she caught Neji's eyes on her, and turned her head away. She could hear her own heartbeat in her head as she tried to gather her thoughts, taken aback by how quickly the debriefing session had taken such an awkward turn.

"D…don't worry, Tenten," Chouji now spoke after swallowing the chips in his mouth. "My father will keep a lookout for you. He's promised to take care of you."

"Tenten-chan," Hinata now whispered in her usual gentle tone. "My father…"

"Stop it, all of you."

Tenten raised her head when Neji's firm voice now commanded everyone's attention. His jet-black hair now swayed gently in the breeze as he stood up and walked away from the discussion, his back facing everyone's astonished faces. Just as Tenten took her next breath, he turned around and his voice boomed across the tranquil surface of the waters to the group.

"Tenten can take care of herself on the battlefield. We should all believe that. All of us should believe that we can all contribute to the upcoming battles in our own ways, and we'll all have to work and fight together with other shinobi from the other villages. But let's not deny that there may come a point where we will have to face the enemy one on one, and fight for our lives. We must all be prepared for that, and I … I just want to say… each and every one of us Konoha shinobi who are going out on the battlefield, is able to give the enemy something to worry about. Each and every one of us. And that includes you, Tenten. You'll do fine. I'll… We … We will meet all one another again… soon. "

Shikamaru cleared the lump in his throat awkwardly and dismissed the group, as the figure of Neji Hyuuga got increasingly smaller in the distance as he neared the fence surrounding the training field. It took Tenten a full half-hour more of sitting on the calm waters by herself, before she picked herself up and faced the gate, where Ino, Sakura and Hinata were still waiting for her. Taking a deep breath, Tenten lifted herself up and started towards them, her heart now almost bursting with pride and joy and no longer as burdened as it had been for the past week. Grinning from ear to ear, the kunoichi removed her scrolls in the belt holster she had left on the bank and waved her friends over energetically, more determined than ever to train for upcoming battles that she now knew that she would face with more faith in herself, the faith that one so important to her had finally verbalised after all these years.

"Come on girls! Let's show them what we've got!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Part 1: Kunai and Shurikens**

"There are … so many of them…"

The sea breeze caressing her face did nothing to soothe the lump that had appeared in her throat, nor the bright rays shining upon the glittering surface of the green waters. She felt a bead of perspiration trickle down her flushed cheek, as she bit her lower lip to keep her fear at bay and took a step back in Chouza-sama's looming shadow. Within the next minute, as she witnessed the terror on Hiashi-sama's stricken face, the butterflies in her stomach fluttered around more quickly than before. Somehow, it was not the stupendous numbers of the wax-like, white-skinned abominations that had caused him to stagger backwards but the fact that the resurrected form of his dead brother was lying just a distance ahead under the blazing sun.

"Hizashi-sama! Neji's …"

Witnessing Hiashi's reaction had somehow caused Tenten to gather her wits. While she was still shaken by the thousands of enemy soldiers that had appeared right before the rocky cliffs, seeing Neji's dead father in this outrageous form sparked the fire in her belly. Here they were, on the brink of a battle that was supposed to protect Naruto, and their enemy had actually resurrected the bodies and souls of past shinobi, shinobi who had given their lives valiantly in battle. She thought of the way Neji's father had sacrificed his life for the sake of his clan, and the way Neji's life had turned topsy-turvy after that, and she felt the strength returning in the form of anger rising in her chest.

"If Neji were here, he would be so confused seeing his father in this… this manner," she cursed inwardly, her posture now ram-rod straight. "These… these bastards!"

The last word was spat out in disgust, drawing a stunned look from the two Konoha adults standing beside her. Tenten's eyes were now gleaming, her brows furrowed as she scowled. Her hands moved down to the holster around her waist and lifted the two scrolls out, her gaze never leaving the army of White Zetsu clones surrounding the area. Chouza managed a wry smile before turning his eyes back to the battlefield, glad that the teenage girl's initial fears had been overcome so quickly and so easily. Guy had taught his students well indeed.

Tenten imagined hearing the booming sounds of war-drums in her head, standing at this heightened level on the treacherous cliffs. She knew her role was once again to provide back-up for Division 1, attacking the Zetsu clones with the myriad projectile weapons stored in her twin scrolls, now slightly unfurled in her hands. Her mind wandered off slightly as she once again remembered how Guy-Sensei had once compared her to the legendary child-god Nezha who rode on wind-fire wheels and tearing up the skies with hundreds of weapons at his disposal. She managed a slight smirk at this memory, recalling how Lee had exuberantly jumped into the discussion by adding on that she did indeed resemble Nezha in the sense that she wore her hair in Chinese-style buns as well. Of course, she'd had to cuff Lee almost immediately after he'd said that could explain why she seemed to be behaving like a tomboyish child.

She could sense every fibre in her body come alive as the scene below took a sudden turn. General Darui had begun attacking the enemy, and Tenten expelled an almost inaudible gasp as she felt the air below crackle with energy.

"Amazing!" she heard Chouza mutter. "He's summoned some sort of black lightning! C'mon, Hiashi-san! We need to get ready to move!"

Darui's Black Panther lightning attack had electrocuted and taken down scores of Zetsu clones near the beach, but now, dozens more were attacking from the air. Tenten did a quick back-flip, transferred some chakra to her feet and planted them firmly on the cliff's wall surface, before unfurling her scrolls and summoning a barrage of shurikens and kunai that flew straight at the approaching enemy. The sharpened objects cut through the breeze and pierced into the Zetsus, causing dozens of them to fall from the air into the waters below. She heard a resounding "GO!" from the ground troops as they charged forward but she was already in her second wind, taking down more air-borne Zetsus than ever. Chouza managed a "Good job, kiddo!" before rolling down the slopes with his cudgel, while Hiashi had already leapt forward moments before.

"He's probably going to battle Hizashi-sama," Tenten was frowning at this thought, wondering how the battle between the two Hyuuga men would turn out… well, one man and one resurrected zombie. Once again, she was relieved that Neji was not present, even though she missed him and the rest of Team Guy, as well as her Konoha peers immensely.

Right now, there was no time for sentimental reminiscence though. Division 1 was wholly engaged in a heated battle with Kabuto and Tobi's army of White Zetsus and Edo warriors. Be it on the beach, in the waters or the precarious cliffs, men and women of the Shinobi Alliance were using all their skills, tactics and prowess. The battlefield was filled with fireballs, water spouts and weapons flying all over, each fighter from this particular division skilled in some form of mid-range attack. The Zetsus were in no way incompetent though, as each clone had the clout to apply some form of vicious attack on the enemy in various ways. With a wide range of tactics, these fearsome monsters, through sheer numbers and in a variety of ways, were cutting down shinobi almost just as quickly and efficiently as they were being taken down.

Barely ten minutes into the battle, Tenten was already starting to use some of her more vicious attacks. While the barrage of projectile weapons she had initially fired had been superbly handy in cutting down the numbers of clones reaching the cliffs, it was inevitable that after the first wave, more of the Zetsus had found ways to avoid the kunai and shurikens dispatched by the shinobi from the cliffs' walls, some even using the lifeless bodies of their fellow clones as shields to get past the weapons. With her ever vigilant eyes scanning the vast area, Tenten's pulse quickened as she saw how many of her fellow comrades who were supposed to hold the fort by providing aerial support had either run out of weapons or had been ruthlessly brought down by the enemy. Many using elemental or Kekkei Genkai abilities were running low on chakra levels, switching positions with their partners to regain or replenish their chakra.

"I didn't expect… to have to use my more advanced weapons so quickly," the brunette thought as she saw yet another two comrades a few feet down caught unawares from behind by clones that were seemingly absorbing or draining their chakra. Without a moment to lose, the Konoha Chunin released two kunai with explosive tags, sending them zooming straight at the two Zetsus and blowing their heads up.

"Tenten-san!" came the voice of a male Suna Chunin whom she had befriended a couple of hours back when the divisions had gathered before being dispatched by Gaara to various locations. Takuma landed nimbly just behind her, obviously out of breath from being involved in close-range combat, even though he was supposed to be part of the Sealing Team in charge of handling the resurrected Edo Tensei zombies. "Your weapons… we need them… above… we're… we're being cut down like flies! Too many clones… overwhelming!"

Slightly surprised by the request, Tenten nodded without turning around, concentrating on summoning more explosive kunai and sending them to aid her comrades-in-arms, those close enough for her to help anyway. Her eyes were still watching out for more air-borne Zetsus approaching the cliffs, but by now, most of the clones were already directly engaged in more close-ranged combat with the shinobi all over the place. A quick glance to the areas below told her that Hiashi continued to be locked in battle with his dead brother, while the gigantic form of Chouza was causing havoc among the enemy. Feeling secure that her friends' fathers were more than capable of holding their own ground, Tenten now followed Takuma to the plateaus above, holding on to a gleaming katana that she had summoned from her scroll.

"Be safe… Hiashi-sama… Chouza-sama… Be safe, everyone!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Part 2: Ravaged by Savages **

"Tenten… the Chunin Exams? The Konoha kunoichi that Temari-san…"

Tenten felt her back stiffen slightly as she heard the young man's voice drop to a hushed whisper, a few metres behind her. She did not bother to turn around as she kept a lookout for approaching Zetsus, even as she felt the heat rise to her cheeks. Takuma had brought her up here to the open plateaus, where the battle intensity was as high as the ridges, cliffs and waters below them, and they had both saved another Suna shinobi from getting killed by a clone. It had been almost three years since Tenten's humiliating defeat at the hands of one of the Sand Village's strongest kunoichi warriors, sister and bodyguard to the Kazekage in the early stages of the Chunin Exams. Pretending not to have heard the injured man's words that had been blurted out in genuine surprise, Tenten gripped the katana tighter in her hands, some sickly fluid covering part of the blade that had taken out the head of a Zetsu clone.

The young kunoichi had almost forgotten how back then, her Soushoryuu techniques had done little to affect the outcome of the short, painful battle, one which had found Tenten's myriad weapons strewn across the examination grounds in messy heaps. Over the years, after Konoha and Suna had managed to resolve their differences, Tenten had managed to form a grudging acquaintance with the village's Wind Goddess, a term bestowed to her by her loving and awestruck fans back in the Hidden Sand. While she had been having little contact with her, Temari had actually extended her hand in gratitude back when Team Guy had helped rescue the Kazekage from the Akatsuki's clutches.

"Thank you, Tenten," she had called out firmly in her usual brusque and firm manner. "If not for the help of the Konoha shinobi, my brother wouldn't be here. I know Naruto did all the dirty work, but you guys must have helped out a bit too."

Temari's casual joke might have seemed arrogant and taunting to another who bore long-term grudges, but by then, Tenten had accepted that she had been defeated by one stronger than her. Her own techniques and prowess had been improved by leaps and bounds after that fight anyway, allowing her to be pass the following exams and be promoted to become a Chunin like Lee and the rest of her peers. While she was observing Temari exchange similar words of thanks with Sakura, she had realised that she would love to have a re-match with the Jounin's fearsome fan again, even if they were now on friendlier terms. While she recognised that her ways and methods with her scrolls, projectile weapons and chakra strings might still encounter great difficulty when they came up against Temari's ferocious wind attacks, Tenten's confidence in her own techniques and enhanced taijutsu skills had grown over the years. Even if she might not beat the older girl, she was certain that she could hold her own better by then.

This was why the Suna shinobi's words did little but to give her a minor prickle for a few seconds. Tenten managed a wry smile as she caught him apologising sheepishly when Takuma chided him for being so rude to someone who had just saved his life. The smile was wiped out from her face in mere seconds when, a few yards away, a horrifying scene greeted her widened eyes.

The blood-curling screams from a fellow Konoha kunoichi had diverted Tenten's attention from Takuma and his fellow Sealing Team comrade, and kept her arrested for the next minute. One of the resurrected Edo Tensei zombies, whom she now recalled had entered the battlefield together with the White Zetsus from the air, was now using some terrifying tentacles that pierced through the flesh and bodies of two shinobi, one of them the Jounin kunoichi whom Tenten recognised. She felt a chill run down her spine as she stood transfixed by the scene, the terror that now overwhelmed her paralysing her on the spot, the katana in her hand now seeming like a ridiculous joke. The unique body structure of the resurrected monster seemed to be composed of hundreds of thick, dark grey threads sickeningly woven throughout his flesh. At this moment, those threads were apparently removing the hearts of his two victims, causing several other soldiers to keep a tentative distance. Just at that moment, the zombie, whose back was facing Tenten, Takuma and Kimuya, turned his face slightly and noticing the number of soldiers evidently frozen in fear by his menacing abilities, gave a creepy, macabre sneer. At this exact moment, more threads shot out from his back and curled themselves around the legs of two more hapless Iwa soldiers, who were now screaming and flailing their arms hopelessly in the air.

"No! Get away from them!"

Tenten did not know what came over her, but the sight of the lifeless body of her fellow Konoha shinobi and the terrified wails of the young Chunin soldiers who were about to meet their deaths at the zombie's hands jolted her out of her frozen stance. Ignoring Takuma's cry of protest, Tenten launched herself forward, her scrolls unfurling and spiralling towards the grey monster. In a tone so brazen and undaunted that portrayed none of the conflicting emotions that threatened to cause her to hurl, the weapons expert cried out aloud as the explosive kunai that she was now summoning from her twin scrolls cut through the air. One by one, with Tenten keeping precise count of each half-second, the kunai reached the monster and was detonated at her will. From the corner of her eye, she noticed to her dismay that the two dozen explosive kunai that had met the zombie's hardened flesh and exploded had done nothing else than to cause him to wear an even creepier smile.

"Good… they're still alive."

Her heart thumping wilder than ever, Tenten could almost feel it rise to the back of her throat. Out of the blue, another bout of terror hit her as she suddenly realised who she was engaging in combat with – the resurrected form of Kakuzu, an Akatsuki member who had met his end at the hands of her comrades, one of the bounty-hunter duo that Team 10 would always bear hatred for due to the incredible loss of their mentor. Ino's words replayed in Tenten's mind with the impact of a sledgehammer as she continued throwing explosive kunai at him, in the seemingly vain hope that she could keep his two new victims alive for a while more for her to figure out how to rescue them. Her friend had told her that once Kakuzu managed to integrate four hearts into his own body, he would be able to summon harrowing elemental monsters and it would require him being killed five times before he truly died. Her mind racing against time, she knew that she had to keep him from killing the two men whom he was holding on to at the moment, her throat tightening in more fear than ever as two weird masks started forming on his broad back.

"No Tenten-san! Stop! You can't! Your attacks won't affect him!"

With a slight grimace, Tenten cursed inwardly at Takuma's distracting voice as she landed for a split second before she leapt forward again, this time summoning hails of Fuma Shurikens that were spinning crazily towards Kakuzu. The moment Tenten's feet left the rocky ground, the black tentacles slammed themselves right down at the spot that she had just landed.

"Good… I've got him where I wanted."

Tenten knew that though her attacks might not have been able to pierce through Kakuzu's hardened body structure, they would be able to save the two Iwa soldiers if she managed to continue distracting him. She knew that Kakuzu was taunting her, probably wanting to see exactly how much more she could do against him. Her eyes trained to keep focused on a vast area, a necessary attribute for her sense of accuracy, she saw that they had gathered their wits and were more assured of what Tenten was attempting to do. While she suspected that Kakuzu could just be playing her and had probably figured out what her next steps would be, and was just trying to see how it would all play out, the girl remained as focused as she could as the black tentacles continued breaking the ground up at the exact spots where she had most recently leapt away from.

Twisting her body upwards, Tenten sent her fifteenth and sixteenth Fuma Shuriken out and with a silent summon, commanded them to split into a series of smaller shurikens that now reached the tentacles that were holding the two men in the air. The spinning blades cut through the threads and Tenten saw the weakened ropes lose tension abruptly. At precisely the same moment, the two Iwa Chunin were wrapped around by metres of metallic chains that had followed closely behind the shurikens, feeling their bodies tugged forcefully back towards the Konoha girl who was risking her own life to save their own.

The air was torn apart, Kakuzu's tentacles being ripped away at the weakened spots and the two Iwa shinobi well-prepared for this moment. Once released from the tentacles, the young men immediately activated their own ninjutsu techniques and summoned boulders that exploded abruptly around the zombie, in an attempt to block him out of sight. Not sparing a second to celebrate or even to heave a sigh of relief, as her scrolls rolled themselves back at an astounding speed, Tenten knew for certain that the two Iwa men had bought them all no more than a few more seconds.

"Tenten-san! Let's move!"

Takuma and Kimuya were a distance away, waiting for Tenten and the men she had rescued successfully to land properly on the ground. The five of them made their escape at once, knowing fully well that Kakuzu was wearing the same sneer he had minutes ago, thoroughly unfazed by it all. As the black tentacles raced across the ground now filled with dozens of Tenten's arsenal, she could not help but hear the mockery and threat in his voice as it boomed after them, "Well done, little girl! I'm coming for you next!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Part 2: Ravaged by Savages (continued)**

"He's stopped," the tanned, broad-shouldered man who now towered over Tenten wiped his brow in undisguised relief as he kept his eyes peeled over the horizon. "He must be distracted by what's happening below."

The chaos on the battlefield had taken a turn for the worse, with the appearance of a gigantic, black beast now adding tremendous pressure and wrecking new havoc on the Division One forces. By a stroke of luck, Tenten and her four new-found allies had managed to escape Kakuzu's demonic clutches. As soon as the surrounding area had become the stomping ground of the new monster, the zombie's attention had been diverted, as if the Chunin girl who had managed to outwit him scarcely mattered to him anymore.

"Thank you, Tenten-san," the muscular youth now managed a tentative grin, as he gripped the shoulder of his partner tightly. "If not for you, Yabuza and I would have been…"

"We're still in danger," Kimuya winced in mild discomfort as he held on to his right forearm. "It's worse than ever… we'll never be able to…"

Takuma hushed his comrade once again, obviously irritated by his tendency to whine and complain incessantly. Tenten was peering over the edge of the cliff, absent-mindedly ignoring the attention of the men behind her as she tried to take in what was occurring on the battlegrounds. The beach area was now completely devastated by the rampaging tailed-beast, its six tails causing much destruction among both the Shinobi Allied Forces and the White Zetsu horde. Bodies were sent flying through the air each time one of the tails smashed the ground or the cliff walls into oblivion, as the beast tore up the landscape in its wake.

"We must move further up!" Mugi was now saying, his arm still placed protectively over his stricken partner, who remained visibly shaken by their near-death experience with Kakuzu. Tenten nodded silently as she picked herself up, their two-minute breather sufficient for now to recover slightly from their ordeal. She clenched her fists as she realised that Kakuzu could easily have ripped apart two more victims by now and re-formed his elemental hearts. However, with Kimuya injured and Yabuza overcome by fear at the moment, she could not possibly get them to return to face Kakuzu and prevent him from killing more people. Besides, the vast area was still filled with battle-cries and screams of the opposing forces and with many other lives at stake in the presence of the Zetsus and other Edo zombies, there were more people they could help and more enemies they could take down. With just a moment's more hesitation as she took one last glance towards the direction of the resurrected Akatsuki demon, she followed the four young men as they moved quickly up the path that would lead them to the top of the cliff.

Along the way, the quintet helped save numerous lives as they took down White Zetsu clones with their diverse tactics. Mugi and Yabuza worked in perfect synchrony with their Earth powers, while Tenten's weapons proved essential as well. Though the cloth-binding techniques of the Suna youths were less effective at the moment, Takuma and Kimuya were by no means useless as they cut down the clones with some credible swordsmanship.

Another tremor shook the earth and Tenten's heart now raced in trepidation as she saw from the height at they were at, how Chouza was now directly assaulting the tailed-beast with his Akimichi clan's natural abilities to expand his body size into its gigantic form. Even from this vantage view, Tenten could tell with her sharp eyesight that her Konoha senior had rescued their white-haired general, who had been locked in intense battle with the monster.

"Listen up!" she now heard one of the squad leaders holler from one of the ridges below. "Everyone who can, be on standby! General Darui may need some range attacks from us soon! Those of us who have such techniques, get ready to provide some aid! Sealing teams, get ready to…"

As if on cue, with a speed so unbelievably incredible for a creature of its size, the beast slammed one of its tails right into the wall of the cliff where the quintet was gathered. Tenten rocketed into the air instinctively, releasing some chains to pull Takuma and Kimuya along with her, noticing that the Iwa Chunin had also used their techniques to shield themselves from the impact.

"Tenten-san, we have to get back to re-group with our sealing team," Takuma noted grimly as soon as they landed on an elevated boulder. "Kimuya and I…"

"Takuma!"

Everything happened so fast, no one else managed to react in time. Rising up from the earth, two Zetsu clones were no more than a metre away from Takuma, and both now leapt at him from behind. Tenten was just a few seconds away from summoning her weapons as she recovered from the impact of the ground exploding all over them, but those few seconds she did not have. Just before the clones pounced on Takuma, his comrade had leapt in front of him to take the blow. The clones started draining Kimuya's chakra at once, his horrified expression quickly overtaken by the draining of colour from his face. By the time Tenten's shurikens pierced into the clones and caused one of them to retreat underground, Kimuya's neck had been savagely broken by the second clone, which now lay lifeless over him with three shurikens embedded at the back of its head.

"No!"

The ground exploded once again, and Mugi and Yabuza now picked up Tenten and Takuma respectively as they leapt into the air once again. Takuma's hoarse shriek tore through Tenten's heart as she saw the body of comrade she had barely known for two hours plummet into the crashing waves below. She bit her lower lip in an attempt to keep herself from crying out loud as well, although a single tear streamed down her left cheek, lost in the trail of perspiration trickling down her face.


	5. Chapter 5

**Part 2: Ravaged by Savages (continued)**

The Zetsu clones hidden in the earth were ripped apart as the kinetic energy rumbling through the atmosphere brought yet another rocky cliff crashing into the waters. It was clear that Division One's forces were no longer battling it out with the White Zetsus in earnest and were, more often than not, making sure that they did not fall victim to the Tailed Beast now in caught in a frantic frenzy in the middle of the scoured land. The rock and earth debris were enveloped in rising plumes of dusty smoke, hiding scores of bodies buried all over the area.

"Kimuya… oh my god… Kimuya…"

Tenten turned her eyes away from the Suna youth who had lost his peer, someone whom he had lived and trained with his whole life since he was five. The throbbing ache at the side of her torso was the result of a piece of debris knocking into the group and causing all four of them to land painfully on one of the few remaining plateaus. Yabuza had taken charge of providing a shoulder for the grieving Takuma, but remained ever ready to flee from the monster's attacks.

"Something's up," Tenten whispered to no one in particular. "The air… I can feel something happening…"

The girl's intuition, sharpened by her abilities, proved to be right almost in the next minute. All of a sudden, a brilliant ray of energy flashed through the atmosphere like streaks of blinding lightning tearing through storm clouds. Tenten braced herself for yet another escape attempt, the deafening impact reverberating across the horizon. Curiously, it seemed as if the beast was just as taken aback as the shinobi observing the situation intently from various areas. As if in retaliation to a sudden threat, the beast bounded across the pulverised landscape once again, causing the troops to adopt desperate measures to escape its wrath once again.

"We're being demolished… just by one guy!" Tenten cried out as she witnessed dozens of shinobi massacred by the beast's deadly assault, the past hour's toll filling her voice with pain and agony. "How… how are we supposed to stop a monster like him?"

"Almost makes Kakuzu seem like chump change, doesn't it?"

The kunoichi spun around, taken aback by Mugi's words. The tall youth was wearing a wry smile, but his furrowed eyebrows indicated that he was feeling the same way as Tenten was. He shook his head and apologised for the bad joke, but Tenten did not respond as she turned back to face the beast and the shinobi trying valiantly, but vainly, to take him down.

"We… we need to help," she muttered inaudibly. A sense of determination rose within her, even though she knew she would perish in the attempt. Though her weapons only managed to distract Kakuzu for a few moments, they had been critical in getting her comrades to safety earlier. Tenten shivered as she stood up slowly, the quaking fear in her threatening to overwhelm and paralyse her once again. Division One's dwindling forces were going to be demolished by this beast, but she knew it would go against her way… against the way of her team and the rest of her Konoha peers… if she fled the scene. She tilted her head slightly and caught sight of the three males behind her and the only thing she was wishing for was that she could be with her friends in these last moments of her young life.

Just as Tenten mustered sufficient courage to speed down the cliff wall, the scene took a sudden change. With a booming roar, the Tailed-beast had attempted a sneak attack at the division's General, but he was abruptly met with new resistance, a bearded brawny man similar in build and size to Mugi, who intercepted the beast's attack with a single punch powerful enough to send it retreating across the waters.

"Kitsuchi-san!"

Even before Mugi and Yabuza's excited voices filled the air behind her, Tenten recognised the Second Division General's imposing presence at once. The man now landed neatly in front of Darui, and continued facing the beast fearlessly. A sense of hope now radiated through the young girl's body as she noticed Shinobi Allied Forces flooding into the scene. Her two Iwa comrades were exceptionally overjoyed as they saw their kinsmen enter the fray, while Takuma remained visibly subdued nearby. Across the land, applause and cheers erupted from the Division One troops at the sight of their back-up, and Tenten felt her own excitement rise when within the next few moments, she saw her own peers appear out of nowhere.

"More back-up!" she cheered, and could hardly keep her joy at bay when she saw the members of Ino-Shika-Chou land neatly in front of Darui and a distance across from the Tailed Beast. Her eyes gleaming in awe at the abrupt turn of events, Tenten's instincts told her that her friends had been sent to take care of this abomination with their unique and tactical techniques. She now unfurled her scrolls, knowing that very soon her weapons would be called for again.

True enough, within the next minute, the General's baritone boomed across the plateaus for everyone to shower the beast with kunai. Without a moment's hesitation and ignoring the awe-struck wonder in her comrades' eyes, Tenten spun herself into the air in unison with her twin scrolls, her mind entirely focused on the task at hand. Hovering in mid-air, the mistress of weapons summoned countless kunai at her disposal, sending them flying straight at the Tailed-beast together with the other shinobi who were also throwing their own kunai at him. It was of no wonder that most of them ran out of kunai within a short while, and for a good ten seconds before the next attack came, many of the soldiers below actually turned their heads to see who could be tirelessly sending hundreds of razor-sharp projectile blades in such a steady stream. Within the blur of her cocoon of her scrolls and weapons, she thought she even saw the two generals staring at her air-borne figure for a few moments. Though she knew that her weapons were not making any significant damage to the beast's cloak of its six tails, Tenten expected the next waves to hit the beast soon, knowing that the kunai was just setting up a distraction for more critical attacks.

"Ino, Shikamaru, Chouji… be careful!" she prayed fervently as she spied Chouji's spinning Meat Tank assault hit the beast right in the middle of its black-cloaked torso. Powering down, Tenten landed neatly on her feet but remained ever alert and ready to move, feeling her heart in her throat as it flung Chouji's massive body into the air. She stifled a cheer of excitement as Shikamaru's shadow-sewing technique now held the beast in its place, but within a mere two seconds, the beast had broken free.

"He repelled the Shadow Mimic!" Tenten screamed, knowing full well that Ino's follow-up attack might need just that extra one second of Shikamaru's skillset. Her throat went dry and she leapt over the plateau in fright, desperately aware that there was nothing she could do. "Ino! It's all up to you!"

Tenten watched anxiously as she landed on the ridge one level below, just as the beast's tail froze in mid-air right in front of Shikamaru's face. Behind him, she saw Ino's eyes close and her body sway as it slumped to the right. Shikamaru caught her quickly, but from Tenten's vantage view, she could only make out the two comrades still standing a distance away from the beast. She held her breath as she had no idea what was going to happen next, each ticking second a new reminder that such a powerful being could repel Ino's Shintensen no Jutsu anytime now.

The air crackled in protest, as the beast's voice echoed a "Yes!" in response to Darui who was now hovering over a gigantic, weird-looking pot. In a heartbeat, the beast was magically transported right inside the container, its looming presence over the past hours a sudden distant memory. While Tenten could not make out exactly what had been said, she knew that her friends had been crucial in accomplishing the incredible task of handling the monster. She finally heaved a sigh as she slumped to the ground in glorious relief, just as Mugi and Yabuza brought Takuma along and landed with a gentle thud right next to her. The four of them enjoyed the momentary serenity, basking in the sweet victory that had seemed almost impossible just minutes ago.

"Thank you, Ino-Shika-Chou!" Tenten was visibly beaming, even as she wiped the perspiration off her brow. "I'm so glad you saved us!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Part 3: Of Leafy Fans and Hearty Attacks**

"They're all safe…," she whispered under her breath, her eyes still lingering over her friends catching their breaths at a distance. "Well done, guys."

As she felt her pulse return to its more normal rate, Tenten broke into a grin. The tension that had enveloped that whole battlefield in the wake of the Tailed-Beast's rampage had been significantly lifted, the air now filled with more confident cries of shinobi chasing stray Zetsu clones in the vicinity. With squads from Division Two entering the war-zone and the unexpected defeat of the fearsome black monster, everyone's morale was at an all-time high since the day's battles started hours before. While there were still scores of White Zetsu clones either running around or lying in wait for sneak attacks against the shinobi, and there were still a few more powerful resurrected Edo Tensei zombies out on the loose, the worst seemed to be over for now.

From below the plateaus, the commanding presence of Division Two's general could be heard as he gave instructions for the squads to get the wounded shinobi to safety and for those who could still fight to follow his lead, a request followed with a resounding chorus from the remaining troops. Tenten tore her gaze from her Konoha peers and looked at the young men whom she had been fighting together with for the past few hours. Takuma was no longer wallowing in sorrow, picking his hefty cloth scroll up and adjusting his clothing at the moment, while Mugi and Yabuza were already peering over the edge, eager to follow General Kitsuchi.

"I guess this is where we part ways," Takuma spoke gruffly to her now, swallowing the lump in his throat. He had barely spoken since Kimuya sacrificed his life in a bid to save his friend, and had, for the past hour, been shepherded by the trio to safety as they fled each time from the Tailed-Beast's assaults. "I have to … I have to return to the Sealing Team and let them know… and re-group with them."

Tenten felt her heart give a lurch, recalling the helplessness that had struck them all as they witnessed Kimuya's lifeless body plunging into the treacherous rocks below the cliff. Her face softened and the joy she had felt in the past few minutes ebbed away as she recognised that their job was far from over. Before she could respond, she was taken aback when Yabuza, one who had remained stoically silent throughout the day, grabbed Takuma's left shoulder from behind and spoke, "Don't let Kimuya's sacrifice be in vain. Live."

The tears that had gathered at the edge of Takuma's eyes fell, though his brows remained knitted in grim determination. With a silent nod, the Suna youth gave Tenten another lingering look of gratitude and undisguised admiration before he set off to look for his peers. Having gathered their wits, the remaining trio quickly decided upon following General Kitsuchi's orders and made their way down the slopes.

A sideward glance told Tenten that her Konoha peers were getting ready for their next battle as well, and the sudden urge to follow them made her pause for a moment. Just as she was about to call out to Mugi, a trio of leering Zetsu clones rose from the ground in between Tenten and the two Iwa Chunin who were now leaping over the last ridge into the waters. Unperturbed and invigorated, the kunoichi sprang forward and tackled the one nearest to her even before it had risen completely from underground. While she was famed for her expertise with her arsenal of projectile weapons, being in one of the most agile, energetic and fast-moving four-men shinobi teams had made Tenten well-versed in the area of close combat. A series of well-placed blows into the torso was all it took to break the clone's arms, the eerie cracking of its supposedly malleable bones causing the girl to grimace slightly but doing nothing to deter her from flinging it into the bloody waters below.

She knew that the other two clones were upon her, and swerved around quickly, treating them like her impossibly fast partners in Team Guy. Though she could never match Lee or Neji in both taijutsu and speed, among her kunoichi peers and even some of the other males in their close-knit group, she was considerably skilled in these areas. She performed an impressive duck, bending her torso backwards at an almost impossible ninety-degree angle and avoiding the awkward swinging of a clenched fist in her direction. Two sai daggers appeared in her hands in the split second she took to summon them from the scrolls now safely locked in her holster belt. Even as she brought her body upright again within the next moment in a forceful bicycle kick that sent the other clone flying over the edge, she had already slashed her attacker's forearms to the ground. Before it could regain its composure and get its limbs to regrow, Tenten was upon it again, now using the hilts of her daggers to knock its face repeatedly in a savage wave of punches that caused this last clone to reel helplessly backwards. One last right hook of hard metal across its ravaged face ended this scuffle, the clone fallen in a messy heap before she drove the blades into the back of its neck.

Now that the jackals were out of the way, Tenten took a quick survey across the horizon. Her comrades from Iwa had long joined Kitsuchi's men and spread out across the surrounding land, while Team 10 was now scurrying across the waters away from the plateau where she was standing. Deciding that it made more sense to join her Konoha peers, Tenten flipped her body into the air and somersaulted downwards, transferring a small amount of chakra to her feet as she landed on the water.

Before she could race across the surface towards the retreating figures of her friends, however, something caught her eye. Less than a metre away, an unfamiliar object floated towards her, arresting her attention immediately. With no one else around the vicinity, it seemed as if its owner had abandoned it or lost it in the midst of battle. Despite the urgency to catch up with Ino and the rest, Tenten could not tear her gaze away from the innocent-looking fan, its weird structure beckoning to her with every centimetre it crawled towards her. Though she had never seen something like this before, this object's appearance sparked a curious fire within her. All at once, her gut instinct told her that this large fan was a weapon, a ninja tool.

And Tenten was Konoha's mistress of all ninja tools.


	7. Chapter 7

**PROLOGUE (continued) – An Idol's Warning**

"_You need to be careful out in the battlefield, Tenten."_

_Lady Tsunade's words had caused her to raise her head in genuine surprise. While she was no longer the Tenten who used to gush about how much she admired Konoha's Fifth Hokage and how much she yearned to become a strong a kunoichi as her, the 17-year old still felt immense pleasure and joy whenever she was in the Sannin's presence. Right now, the firmness in Tsunade's voice was making the teenager feel a little tensed. The initial exhilaration she had felt when Shizune sent for her to the Hokage's office was slowly dissipating, as she realised that this was not just a simple routine check for the troops were sent out to war. _

_As Tsunade held her gaze intently for a few more seconds, Tenten felt a lump in her throat as her she felt her pulse quicken. Had she done something wrong? Had Shikamaru given her feedback about their training session earlier in the day? The next thought actually made her give her idol a quizzical look of irritation. She was not going to be taken out of the Shinobi Alliance Troops now, was she? _

_Shizune watched the tension between her boss and the Chunin develop in such an abrupt manner, that she herself was caught off-guard. She had always known Tenten to be a rational, well-rounded shinobi whose love and admiration for Tsunade knew no bounds. Now, she watched in rapt fascination as Team Guy's, and most possibly all of Konoha's, weapons expert wore a look of bold defiance._

"_I am not taking you out of the Alliance forces, Tenten, if that's what you're thinking about," Tsunade finally spoke but still wearing that same scowl. Shizune understood why Tsunade had to have this session with Tenten, but was not certain why she had chosen to adopt this persona, especially with someone whom she did not usually speak with on a frequent basis. Silently, as she fiddled with her fingers, she hoped that this session would not change Tenten's impression of the Hokage. The girl was now tilting her head slightly and looking at Tsunade warily, evidently still confused and probably very cautious about what was going to come up next._

_Tenten was getting more and more exasperated by the way this meeting was being carried out. Feeling as if she was being interrogated for no good reason, she decided to open her mouth to ask Tsunade exactly what was going on. As she took in a quick breath, however, the blonde woman finally spoke again._

"_I received a message from Io. He told me about Jidanda."_

_Shizune could see the brunette stiffen, as if she was going to choke on her own inhalation. She assumed a thousand thoughts to be running in her mind right now. Taking a glance at Tsunade, she saw the same stern expression, her eyes fixated on the teen, her mouth a narrow, tense slit._

"_Io told me about the way you successfully activated the weapon's … abilities," she continued. "And apparently, it was not the first time that you'd actually used the weapon."_

_Managing a slight nod, a trickle of perspiration caressing her neck, Tenten's heart pounded as she wondered if she would be forced to surrender Jidanda, after awaiting its completion for almost two years. Mumbling an almost inaudible response for the next minute or so, she explained to the two older women present how she had had to ward off two other weapon masters who had tried to pillage Io's lab. Recounting how Naruto Neji's Kage Bushin abilities and Neji's taijutsu skills had proven futile at holding them back, Tenten claimed that at that moment, the only choice she had was to make use of the tool that the two attackers had been trying to steal and use it to her best ability. She attempted to choose her words as carefully as she could so that she would not sound too arrogant, but Shizune's words, filled with a mixture of wonder and disbelief, showed that she was utterly impressed._

"_And you hadn't even practised using it at all even once? But it's a gigantic spiked ball! How do you even wield it as a weapon?"_

_Tsunade's slight smirk forced Tenten to hold her tongue. She was not exactly certain what the issue was here, but she felt that the result of this interrogation was not something that she was looking forward to. While she was relieved that she was still going to participate in the war, the possibility that she would be forced to return Jidanda to Io's possession was causing her heart to sink._

"_Tenten," Tsunade's low voice captivated her attention all at once, but the words that followed the calling of her name made her almost reel in shock. "I want to apologise. While I can't learn the progress of every single shinobi in the village, I should have a firmer grasp of each and every one of your abilities. I believe I have … we have neglected yours."_

_The sudden turn in conversation, the abrupt switch in tone in Tsunade's voice, the buzzing that was attacking her ears and mind… it was almost all Tenten could bear. The Fifth Hokage carried on conveying her regret that because the kunoichi's abilities were not passed down from a clan and because she had been more absorbed by other members among her peers, she did not even fully understand how her unique skills worked. As the words registered in her mind, Tenten started shaking her head and could not prevent herself from blurting out a rash, yet controlled, "Stop."_

_The single word filled the room with silence for the next few moments. Tenten had been looking at the dusty floor as she recounted her encounter with Jidanda, and kept her head down as Tsunade tried to apologise in the very awkward manner, and to Tenten, for an absolutely unnecessary reason. She found now that her nails were biting into her palms, her fists fully clenched, and that her shoulders were rising up and down with every breath she took. Shizune tried to mediate quickly but the teenage girl raised her head suddenly, her fiery eyes blazing in undisguised anger._

"_I said stop. I don't need you to pity me."_

_Ignoring Shizune's widening eyes and yet another vain attempt to pacify her by saying that they were not pitying her, as well as holding Tsunade's intent gaze, Tenten expressed her innermost thoughts, in a way she thought she never could, and never would._

"_I know my position in Konoha… in Team Guy. I know that I may always seem to be playing a background role, and I am ok with it. I am not as fast or skilled as any Team Guy member, but I can hold my own in battle. I may not have a clan ability passed down by my ancestors and forefathers, but I work hard at experimenting with and developing my techniques. I may not be the one who takes the fight to a high-level shinobi, as I know that I'm often not skilled enough, but I support my teammates as best as I can and if there really is a need, I won't back down from facing him alone. I know my weapon techniques may never allow me to advance to the next level quickly as a shinobi… as a kunoichi… but it doesn't mean I'm going to stop working hard. So please, don't pity me. I may not be as special as a Hyuuga, Yamanaka, Akimichi… all of whom are my friends and I love them… but I'm Tenten, and that's really enough."_

_The single tear that trickled her cheek betrayed the emotional toil that this was taking on her, and it was evident that Shizune was almost appalled at what Tenten had said. Tsunade, however, simply stared at the teenage girl for one more moment before carrying on with her task at hand._

"_Very well then, I'll just ask the questions, and you answer them in the best way you can."_

_A silent nod, an inaudible intake of air, and the conversation returned to normal. After taking a quick sip of tea, Tsunade reassured Tenten that she was not requesting that she return Jidanda to Io and saw no reason why it should not be wielded by someone as comfortable with it as Tenten was. She added that Io had mentioned that being able to wield an unorthodox weapon as such, with barely any prior knowledge or experience, required someone who was very advanced in her ability to deal with ninja tools._

"_However, I need to caution you." This was when she raised the tone of her voice slightly, although she could see that Tenten, while attentive, was no longer fearful of this talk, nor Tsunade's authoritative tone, any longer. She felt a tinge of regret at not getting to know a capable kunoichi as Tenten better, and made a silent vow to keep better track of her younger shinobi after the war. _

"_During the war, you will come across many different soldiers and opponents with various unique abilities. At the same time, there might be weapons out there… perhaps lost, or abandoned in the chaos on the battlefield. There are many things that we don't understand out there, Tenten, and though what Io has shared with me makes me admire your abilities to … connect… with ninja tools in a relatively easy manner, I want you to be careful out there. Some weapons are dangerous to wield, and while I believe you are more than able to handle them, it is better to be safe rather than sorry."_

_Understanding the rationale for Tsunade's warning, Tenten suddenly wished that she had not made that long speech earlier, although finally getting these words off her chest was a burden lifted from her shoulders. As she listened attentively to the Hokage, a sense of pride found its way to warm her being. While she regretted adopting the earlier tone, she was also heartened that voicing out her thoughts could mean that she had really grown as an individual, and that she was just going to do her best out in the battlegrounds. This conversation, and the one earlier with her peers that had Neji stand up so heroically for her, were enough to be a parting gift for Tenten, for she expected not to see Lady Tsunade, Shizune or her friends for some time._

_The conversation ended in a somewhat less intense mood, with Tenten thanking Tsunade for her effort to give her such an important forewarning. As she bowed respectfully before making to exit from the room, Tenten felt a shudder of delight when Tsunade dismissed her with, "And I've never pitied you, Tenten. Do your best, but … be careful."_


	8. Chapter 8

**Part 3: Of Leafy Fans and Hearty Attacks (continued)**

Lightning streaked cross the horizon and scourged the ground a distance away, scattering rock and sand debris all over the vicinity. As if a replay of the previous hour, shinobi soldiers were scrambling all over the area again, their hollers and shrieks forewarning others to clamour for safety. Above, the sun blazed against its clear, blue cloudless backdrop, hardly an indicator of any storm capable of ripping the skies apart. Yet another bolt was discharged out of nowhere, frying several wretched screaming men and women who were scurrying to get away. The rancid smell and sickening crackling of burning flesh permeated the air as more victims met their doom in this tragic manner.

"Kakuzu… his elemental hearts!"

As the realisation hit her, Tenten's hands immediately moved to her twin scrolls as she kept a vigilant lookout towards the sky to find out exactly where Kakuzu could have released his elemental monsters from. She had been seized by an overwhelming desire just moments ago to get her hands on the curious-looking fan, but was now distracted by the sudden mayhem that was threatening the shinobi forces once more. A few yards away, two grisly, hideous-looking creatures came into view, one of them the monster that had electrocuted countless soldiers in seconds, gliding through the air in a carefree manner as if they were simply out shopping for groceries. Glancing around to survey who would be around the vicinity for her to work with, Tenten felt a sense of dread when she learnt that she was basically going to have to handle this problem on her own.

"The fan…"

The kunoichi had just taken two steps forward when the long hilt of the fan floating on the water surface touched her right foot gently. At that moment, Tenten felt a familiar yearning tugging within her, the same feeling that had struck minutes ago when she first set eyes on this ninja tool. Tsunade's words were now playing at the back of her mind, and she was a little stunned to realise how ready she actually to ignore her idol's warning. Hesitating for no longer than another second, her eyes lingering at the fan for just one more moment, she decided that the most urgent task for now was to take care of the Lightning monster spreading calamity over the land. She was certain that Kakuzu's other masks would join in the fun soon, but she was much less certain how she was going to take them down.

Less than a hundred metres away, the Raiton masked creature was hovering near a group of soldiers desperately trying to take it down, its partner flying away in another direction in search of more prey to wreck havoc upon. The air started humming once again, and Tenten knew that the monster would be taking more lives almost immediately. With a sudden burst of energy, she traversed across the water surface, closing the distance between her and the intimidating air-borne creature within seconds. Launching herself into mid-air, her scrolls unfurling and spiralling around her protectively, the kunoichi was soon sending wave after wave of explosive-tagged kunai, a move reminiscent of how she had taken out the Chimera monster in a mission to rescue Kakashi-Sensei from one shinobi who had threatened to wage the Fourth Shinobi War back then. While Tenten had sent hundreds of Kibaku Kunai piercing into that particular gigantic creature and detonated her explosive tags all at once to blow it up into dust, she was cautious about sending too many of her weapons at Kakuzu's elemental heart at this moment. Apart from not wanting to hurt the fellow shinobi in the crossfire, she was highly suspicious that the Raiton monster would not be affected by her explosive kunai much.

True enough, as the first two dozen kunai reached the creature, each blade attempting to pierce into the mass of black woven threads, the electrical energy surrounding it prevented any major damage as it detonated the explosive tags and sent the kunai falling limply into the waters. Alarmed, Tenten fired up more kunai in mid-air, hoping that this move would at least distract the monster enough to allow the shinobi below to escape before its lightning slaughtered them all.

"Run!" she screamed, keeping her sight fixated on the strange creature. "You have to get away right from the water now before it releases more bolts!"

The monster's attention had been diverted, and it now turned to face Tenten. Keeping her eyebrows knotted and not displaying any form of fear, the weapons expert coolly embarked on her next choice of weapons. Still hovering in mid-air, the mask seemed to be mocking her, its 'face' wearing a hideous grin that covered most of the white background. Tenten heard an extremely weird gurgling coming from it, as if it was attempting to communicate its mockery across.

"Laugh all you like, you freak!" bellowed the determined teenage girl, whose mind at the moment, was actually trying to come up with an immediate solution to her potentially fatal predicament. "I'm not going to let you take another life as long as I stand!"

Easier said than done, Tenten cursed inwardly, as the wooden staves she had sent spinning at the creature were burnt in crisps almost as soon as they touched the black body. As the charred remains fell, she raced across the waters holding her scrolls and letting them flap in the wind as they flew out magically.

"Demon-subduing Chains!"

In a puff of smoke, as Tenten propelled herself into the air, half a dozen weighted chains burst out of her scrolls, the momentum built up from her running increasing the speed at which the long, metallic rings screeched towards the creature. This time, the attack worked somewhat, since the six chains actually wrapped and coiled themselves across the black mass rapidly. Tenten saw the creature body actually dip slightly, and quickly pulled the chains downwards towards the water. She knew she only had mere seconds before she had to release the chains from the hands. As she felt the electrical current leaping across the linked metal rings towards her, Tenten gave a final tug that sent the creature crashing into the water before launching herself into the air and releasing the chains from her scrolls at once.

Just before the creature hit the waters, it had powered up, getting ready to attack this impertinent child. As soon as its body touched the water surface, however, the immense electrical energy it held within its mass was released, causing its own powers to fry itself in the waters, which started to sizzle and spurt noisily due to the impact.

"Damn it… it's still attacking!"

Tenten had been uncertain how long the creature would be delayed by this slight skirmish, but she felt her pulse accelerate when it continued releasing its lightning bolts in the waters. She knew it was trying to get her, and was ready to dart away quickly since she was near the shore anyway. Before she leapt away from the boulder she was currently standing on however, she caught sight of the large leaf fan once again. Somehow, miraculously, as if Fate was playing its hand in this, the fan had hurtled its way towards the same rock due to the waves crashing about at the moment. At last, without any more hesitation and deciding to leave Tsunade's precautionary warnings unheeded, Tenten grabbed the hilt of the mysterious object and once again took to the air, just as the creature's lightning bolt hit the boulder and blew it up into bits.


	9. Chapter 9

**Part 3: Of Leafy Fans and Hearty Attacks (continued)**

The skies were glowing a fiery, crimson red in one minute, and an electrifying blue the next. The vast battlefield exploded in vivid colours as elemental blasts and energy auras streamed across, each attack more vicious than the next. With the defeat of Ginkaku, then the Tailed-Beast Mode of Kinkaku, coupled with the arrival of the Division Two forces led by General Kitsuchi and his daughter Kurotsuchi, most soldiers in Division One had expected the battle to shift quickly to their favour. Kakuzu's air-borne elemental hearts were one major source of the mass carnage, exterminating dozens of shinobi in their wake with any one attack, leaving trails of burning corpses, frozen bodies or bloody, ripped torsos both on land and in the tumultuous waves.

With a mighty lunge from the air which was at this moment charged with an insanely high amount of voltage, Tenten stumbled and crashed into the sand violently, but had the quick wit to immediately roll her body behind some nearby rocks upon impact. The lightning mask had taken its body to the air again, now determined to seek out and eliminate the audacious girl who had dared to prevent it from having its fair share of fun like its fellow elemental hearts. As it unleashed torrents of electrical energy that boiled the surface waters and scorched the sandy beach, Tenten's ears pricked as she heard familiar voices just a short distance away. Behind some bigger boulders further up inland were her friends in Team 10 battling it out with their resurrected Edo Tensei version of their mentor, Asuma Sarutobi.

"Ino!" Tenten's heart gave a lurch as she glimpsed her blonde friend attempt to flip away from Asuma's Ash Pile Jutsu, a devastating explosion that would cause intense damage when ignited. She knew she could not go to her peers' aid without drawing the Lightning monster towards them since it was on her tail. Her throat parched and her elbow smarting from the painful landing, Tenten turned to face the approaching enemy, its body crackling with its fearsome power.

"Lightning… wind techniques work against… lightning…"

A momentary pause suddenly reminded the weapons mistress of the ninja tool she had been gripping in her hands while fleeing from her pursuer. Her chest heaving from the exertion of dodging lightning blasts for the past few minutes, Tenten's mind raced against time as she tried to figure out how to make use of this large fan with its delicate-looking frond, spread out in its leafy glory. Once she thought about the ways elemental ninjutsu worked against one another's different-natured chakra, she was abruptly overwhelmed by a strange new sensation that enveloped her whole being.

"This fan… it's… it channels elemental properties…"

The bewildered kunoichi had no idea how that thought, this inexplicable piece of information, had so suddenly entered her head, which was now filled with myriad possibilities all running around one another randomly. Tenten shut her eyes quickly, despite the looming presence of the Lightning monster hovering in the air, and shook her head to clear it.

"Oh my goodness… what's… what's going on?"

Struck by that sudden realisation, Tenten stared in wondrous awe for a few seconds at the fan she held, its leafy frond swaying gently in the breeze. Her eyes shifted to the approaching mass of dreaded threads, and taking one quick intake of breath, the trembling girl darted towards the creature, her pounding heart threatening to burst out of her chest. Her feet touched the water surface, and from the corner of her eye, she saw Ino tackling Chouji and knocking him out of harm's way from Asuma's Wind-Style technique which, having missed its big-built target, shot out into the open air. With no prior knowledge of the fan's prowess, and guided only by some form of unexplainable gut instinct, Tenten took two mighty swings with the tool, uttering a silent prayer as she did. Miraculously, the wind energy that erupted from the fan blew the Raiton mask straight into the direct path of Asuma's jutsu, and for the next few moments, as the mask cracked violently and split into two, an ear-splitting screech filled the atmosphere.

"Nice! He took out the Lightning Monster!"

Unable to contain her delight as the black threaded mass plummeted into the waters, the remains of the mask floating pathetically on the surface, Tenten finally wondered who had dropped this strange, unorthodox weapon. As she brought it closer to her body for a more thorough inspection and admiration, within the next second, her knees buckled and Tenten fell head first into the heated waters without any prior warning. The sense of relief that had washed over her entire being when Kakuzu's heart had finally been taken out after such an intense battle, was now completely replaced by a new, unexpected gripping fear that rang all the alarms in her head. The flabbergasted girl felt her whole body weaken so rapidly and in such a crippling manner, her mind reeling in utter terror and confusion. Her eyes flew open as she felt herself being pulled down deeper, and fighting to catch her breath, Tenten kicked her way up to the surface, weakly and painfully, her legs seemingly made of lead.

"The fan…," she gasped feebly when she finally broke the surface. "It… it's eating up my chakra!"


	10. Chapter 10

**Part 3: Of Leafy Fans and Hearty Attacks (continued)**

"_That's it… mould your chakra into the centre of your body… let it radiate from within. That's it, I can already sense your chakra flowing much better, Tenten. You're doing it."_

Neji's voice replayed in her head again and again, easing the throbbing headache that she was currently nursing. Having sought temporary shelter at a secluded corner behind some rock debris on the beach, the kunoichi drew gentle, deep breaths in order to regain control over her chakra flow. While she was following the tips given by her closest teammate, recalling the steps he had taught her that would help her boost her chakra levels, Tenten allowed herself a few moments to bask in the memory of his voice. Slowly, but surely, whether it was the comfort of Neji's voice washing over her or the breathing techniques actually working out well, she felt her strength returning and the tension ebbing from her sore muscles.

All around her, the Division One and Division Two troops were desperately trying to hold the fort, the chaotic battlefield allowing for the cunning Zetsu clones to take down shinobi unawares, as the more powerful resurrected Edo Tensei ninja continued spreading mayhem all over. While Team 10 continued to be locked in heated battle with their Sensei, with Chouji unwilling to fight one so dear to him, Chouza was having an equally tough time trying to keep Dan Kato from activating his deadly Ghost Transformation Technique. Elsewhere, the Hyuuga brothers were splitting up boulders and sending other shinobi flying around with their Gentle Fist and Kaiten attacks, both perhaps actually secretly enjoying the time they had to finally trash out their differences and make a long-awaited reconciliation in the midst of exchanging deadly blows. General Darui, together with the two Konoha Chunin Kotetsu and Izumo, was desperately trying to bring Kakuzu down at the plateaus above, although his remaining elemental hearts were still massacring large groups of shinobi with their incredible powers.

"Must… must get back up to help out…"

Dozens of yards away, some soldiers were cowering under the cover of some craggy rocks, desperately seeking temporary protection from the highly-charged battlefield, from the turmoil happening all around. Just as she pulled herself to her feet, the Konoha Chunin spied something that sent yet another tingle down her aching spine – two of Kakuzu's elemental heart monsters flying their way towards the area with hardly any sound. The startled girl attempted to shout out a warning, but her parched throat proved utterly ineffective. In the next few seconds, before she could even make her way forward, all Tenten could do was witness the fiery deaths of her comrades, their supposed temporary sanctuary proving only to entrap them further with the fire-wind dual strike released by the demonic masks. Horrified by the massacre, and the fact that the flames were fanning out across the water surface sending more shinobi scattering all over, Tenten retreated as quickly as her weakened body would allow her to. Even as she was bounding her way up a cliff, the devastating heat waves produced by the masks' vicious attack were devouring almost every living being in their paths, filling the air with frantic screams and rancid smells of charred bodies. Heart pounding, the girl tried as best as she could to evade this horrifying technique, her mind whirling with memories of what Ino had told her about Kakuzu's abilities back then.

"His Fire and Wind masks are working together! Ino said… they're nearly unstoppable!"

As she reached the top of the highest cliff in the area, Tenten allowed herself a quick glance at the two monsters responsible for the current ravages of this part of the land. Flames were licking at the mask resembling a demonic tiger, while the other elemental monster was an oddly shaped abomination of four legs and thin wings. The second mask was continuing the fun it had started, swooping downwards and sending torrents of wind energy that were scooping soldiers up and flinging them down all at the same time. As if the earlier firestorm was not enough, the Shinobi Allied soldiers were now getting their necks broken and bodies torn into pieces by this fearsome monster with its wind affinity, as its partner withheld its fiery techniques for the moment, enjoying the carnage spreading around.

Tenten's heart sank, as she allowed her knees to touch the rocky surface. A tornado-like mass now appeared, reaching the cliff a few hundred metres directly opposite the one she had scrambled to. The resulting blast sent rock debris and flailing human bodies flying all over, the scene reminiscent of one of the numerous ruinations committed just mere hours earlier by that wretched Tailed Beast. The girl could feel tears running down her bruised cheeks as she stared at the fiery mass that now followed, knowing for certain that at that moment, people in all five nations were losing their loved ones in this senseless war.

"It's impossible..." she now whispered to no one in particular, as her fringe caught the windy after effects of the monsters' attacks. "I can't… we can't… this is a lost cause…"

"Chouza-san!"

The name of someone familiar being called out jolted the shivering girl out of her current state of mind. As she re-oriented herself, she found the gigantic figure of Chouji's father just a distance away at the opposite edge. Tenten gasped as she saw a familiar Burning Ash technique hit the fearsome giant, and her heart gave another lurch as Chouza grimaced in obvious pain. Before she could summon the strength back to her legs, she heard the Akimichi clan leader bellow at his own son.

"Quit whining and pouting, Chouji! Remember that you're the 16th Head of the Akimichi clan!"

The realisation that her friends and comrades were still fighting for their lives, and Chouza yelling at his flesh and blood caused Tenten to pause in her tracks, even though she wanted desperately to know if her friends in Team 10 were safe and sound while fighting their ex-mentor. Chouza's voice sent her mind reeling back to the tender moment they had shared on the beach much earlier in the day, before Darui and the rest of Division One had engaged in direct battle with the enemy…

"_A unit resurrected from the Edo Tensei technique is part of the army… War… it's finally beginning."_

_Chouza had looked down at her, sensing the fear in her trembling voice. _

"_Shikaku is thinking of strategies back at Headquarters," the usually jolly and jovial man had replied, causing Tenten to avert her gaze from the sea of monsters lying just metres away in the waters. "He's an amazing genius when it comes to devising strategies… In fact, he comes up with brilliant tactics I could never dream up."_

_Tenten tilted her head slightly, uncertain of why her senior had chosen to speak about Shikamaru's father at this time, moments before they would be physically engaged in battle and not thinking of plots and ideas back in 'Headquarters'. As she kept respectful silence, she saw the twinkle in Chouza's beady eyes as he grinned cheerfully at her, making her more bewildered._

"_And Inochi will pass them on to us without fail. I have faith in them, and we will battle right here," Chouza now turned his eyes back to the horizon. "Yes! Have faith in our comrades!"_

_Tenten joined the Konoha Jounin in turning back and looking at the determined looks the Division One soldiers were wearing at the moment. The colour returned to her cheeks as the expressions of her fellow division comrades sent images of her friends surfacing in her mind… Naruto tearing through the land with his awesome Kage Bushin and Rasengan techniques… Sakura smashing her way through rocks and debris using her brutal strength… Sai's pale complexion belying the power he wields as he descended upon the enemy on one of his Chougi Giga beasts… Ino's trademark sneer as she took out her opponents with a combination of her signature Shintensen and taijutsu moves… Shikamaru's bored expressions even as he executed his Kage Nui techniques… Chouji sending his towering figure spinning across the land… Shino's oddly calm and collected disposition each time he sent his Kinkaichu insects out… Kiba, being the exact opposite, his loud and excited cries in sync with Akamaru's yelps as they tore through tearing through the enemy together… Hinata's seemingly gentle nature hiding the amazing power in her Gentle Fist techniques… Lee's furrowed brows as he sped through enemy lines with his agility in a flurry of punches and kicks… Neji's occasional smirks while displaying his amazing repertoire of Hyugga clan movesets, the youth's Byakugan eyes showing nonchalance and fiery determination all at the same time._

_An odd sense of pleasure and relief had washed over Konoha's renowned mistress of ninja tools as she turned back to face her peer's father._

"_You're right," Tenten scowled, straightening her back resolutely. "We have to hold the enemy back, for our comrades' sake. I understand now, Chouza-san. Thank you!"_

The memory rooted itself in Tenten's mind as she watched her Konoha comrades continue fighting, a twinge of shame and guilt bringing a crimson flush to her face. The past hour's exertions might have almost brought her down to her knees, but now, the Chunin cursed herself for wasting precious minutes wallowing in defeat instead of pitching in in whatever way she could, using whatever prowess she had left in her.

That was when Tenten realised that she was still gripping on tightly to the leafy fan.


	11. Chapter 11

**Part 3: Of Leafy Fans and Hearty Attacks (continued)**

"Tenten!"

Caught unawares, the kunochi gritted her teeth as she spun around, ready to face her next adversary, her tonfas covered with a sickly slimy substance, evidence of the number of Zetsu clones she had taken out in the past few minutes. It took her a moment to register the fact that the person who had called her name would most likely be a fellow shinobi. Still, she kept her body alert, taking a quick side-step to her left and raising the wooden weapons in a defensive stance.

The familiar figure of Izumo Kamizuki landing three metres away brought a genuine smile of delight to the girl's face. However, it vanished almost immediately when she saw the fellow Chunin's stern countenance, his tanned face wearing a grim expression.

"General Darui asked for your aid!"

Those six words, spat out with such urgency, froze Tenten in her tracks. The leader of Division One was asking for her help? Why would he even have taken note of her presence in the first place? The very next thought caused the lump to rise in her throat… could it be that Darui had seen her using the leafy fan, having just been stored safely in one of her scrolls just minutes ago, against the Raiton monster earlier?

"Snap out of it, Tenten," Izumo's words might have seemed harsh, but they did not seem to hold any irritation or resentment. The young man must have thought that the teen girl was out of her element in the midst of such chaos, unsuspecting of the actual thoughts in her mind. "We need your help with Kakuzu… the bastard is back causing so much trouble for us."

Stealing just one more glance at the defeated Zetus clones lying in a heap, Tenten gave a silent nod as she followed her fellow Konoha Chunin, who took the initiative to explain to her that Darui had actually noticed the way she had sent torrents of shurikens and kunais at the Tailed Beast before Ino-Shika-Cho launched their impressive attack Ino managed to take him down.

"And I believe we saw you locked in battle with Kakuzu's Lightning mask," Izumo continued as they raced ahead, spying the white-haired, dark skinned Kumo Jounin wielding his sabre and their fellow Konoha Chunin and Izumo's best friend Kotetsu Higane spinning his gigantic shell-like blade while performing an aerial assault on the resurrected Akatsuki henchman. "Did you… did you take it down? I don't see it around anymore, although the other hearts are still creating havoc."

Tenten kept her gaze ahead as she unfurled her scrolls, her heartbeat accelerating slowly as myriad thoughts fought for her attention. The sight of the fearsome monster that had almost killed her and her comrades was already stressful enough, even without Izumo making queries about the Raiton mask. Before she could mutter a response, Kakuzu's next attack sent both men performing some impressive aerial somersaults and landing neatly a few feet ahead of them.

"We're running low on chakra," Darui stated in his usual nonchalant, unassuming manner, keeping his eyes steadily on the adversary as he performed some quick hand seals to activate his Laser Circus Jutsu to hold Kakuzu back. "Let's retreat for a while."

"No, we can't!" Tenten did not realise she had exclaimed those words so brusquely, squinting her eyes even as she remained fixated on the light beams shooting out effortlessly across the horizon towards Kakuzu, who was evidently using his unique body structure and Earth Grudge techniques to withstand Darui's attack. "We can't allow Kakuzu to obtain another victim or he will resurrect his Lightning elemental heart!"

"So it's really dead? Who took it out?"

Tenten bit her lip as her mind raced to find a reasonable explanation to answer Kotetsu's query, one so similar to his partner's a minute ago. "I … I managed to use my chains... to fling the mask towards Asuma Sensei's jutsu. His wind technique destroyed it I guess?"

She could feel Darui's eyes linger on her for a few seconds before he turned back to face the problem at hand. "Well, that's why I asked Izumo to seek your assistance, Ms Tenten. I saw the way you were summoning those kunai and shurikens at Kinkaku earlier, buying time for your comrades to get their attack in place."

"She won't just be summoning kunai and shurikens," Kotetsu proclaimed proudly. "Tenten is Konoha's mistress of weapons and can wield any ninja tool with ease."

"Any… ninja tool?"

Before she could recover from Kotetsu's praise, Tenten found herself tense up once again from Darui's questioning voice. Pretending not to have heard the man, she revealed that she had encountered Kakuzu earlier on the battlefield and had barely managed to keep him at bay with her techniques. Still, she agreed to do her best to hold him back as much as she could.

"Good. That gives us time to look for the Bashosen," Darui's brows furrowed. "It may be the only way we can defeat Kakuzu and his elemental hearts… a ninja tool that summons the elements itself."

Tenten froze, trying to keep her emotions at bay as her fellow Konoha Chunin asked for more clarification. Darui's description of the 'Banana Leaf Fan' and the incredible prowess it possessed. The more Darui explained how it was revered as one of the treasured tools once wielded by the Sage of the Six Paths, the more violently her heart was pounding. How could she have activated such a treasure earlier? As she tried to appear as disinterested in the men's conversation as possible, her mind was filled with myriad questions.

"So even if we get this Banana Fan, we might not be able to use it? How would we activate its powers?"

Darui finally showed some emotion apart from his usual smouldering look, as he heaved a sigh to Izumo's questions, keeping his eyes peered above the boulder they were all huddled behind. "I'm seriously not sure. I only managed to use the other tools because I observed how those creatures were using them. And even though I was only using them for a while, my chakra was depleting really rapidly. The high chakra consumption alone might make it almost impossible to use the Bashosen even if we do find it. But we have no choice… Unless a miracle happens, we have to take those elemental masks out if we want to take Kakuzu down."

The tension that had built up in Tenten's shivering body was screaming to be released. Taking a deep breath with her eyes closed, she straightened her back and got to her feet. "Well, then I'll just see what I can do to stall him as long as I can!"

Not awaiting any further orders, the kunoichi leapt over the rock, springing forward in a sudden burst of energy that had found a way to flow through every vein in her body, even though she felt as if her blood had frozen twice over in the past few minutes. Her mind was whirling as a million thoughts were scattered all over in a disarray… she could not understand her own lack of honesty at all. Taking two swings with the tool now she knew as the Bashosen had consumed such a large amount of chakra that she might never be able to wield it again without fatal repercussions, and yet she had hesitated in admitting the fan was now sealed within her scrolls. Furthermore, Kakuzu's masks were causing such mayhem across the surrounding beaches and plateaus that something had to be done against this resurrected zombie. So why had she withheld such valuable information from the First Division's General and her comrades, and why was she still resolutely holding on to something she might never be able to use properly?

"No… I mustn't waver. I'll… I must stick according to plan…"

"I see you're back, little girl."

Kakuzu's voice boomed across the distance. This was no time to ponder over such matters, no matter how vital any one of her decisions might mean later, for the dread of facing Kakuzu all over again had caught up with her, even though she had Darui, Kotetsu and Izumo trailing closely behind.

"You brats… insignificant brats… have done nothing but irk me with your petty techniques and non-existent skills. Come… come show me what you've got, little girl!"

Tenten's scrolls twisted and turned as they unfurled themselves furiously outwards , with the kunoichi summoning dozens of projectile weapons at once. Since her aim was to stall Kakuzu from creating another Lightning elemental heart and to allow the others to replenish their chakra levels and come up with a more concrete plan of stopping him, the projectile weapons flying towards the villain now were aimed at him not just with pinpoint accuracy, but also with a seemingly lack of order as compared to Tenten's earlier attacks. Apart from explosive-tagged kunai blowing up the ground surrounding him, gigantic spiked iron balls were slamming themselves against his hardened body structure, attempting to wear him down. Her eyes flashing with annoyance and fierce determination, the brunette sniggered slightly as she watched the Akatsuki member trying to re-orientate himself amidst the minor explosions he was currently trapped in. Knowing that it would not take him long to counter-attack, Tenten darted quickly around the quaking periphery, vigilantly keeping a safe distance of at least a hundred metres away from her opponent. Dozens of sharpened spears thrust themselves violently into the ground, entrapping the monster within a crudely formed wooden prison.

"Foolish girl! You think you can hold me in this…"

Not wondering if Kakuzu had suddenly stopped laughing out loud mid-sentence because of her latest summoning, or if she could have missed hearing the last few words due to the sheer number of projectile weapons now hovering dangerously in mid-air, Tenten's brows furrowed as she saw the ground swallow the wooden staves that had held him for those few seconds. Behind her, her comrades had been stunned into silence with this latest technique, one she had not had much opportunity to use due to the fact that she always had to hold back due to not wanting to catch anyone else in the crossfire. Now that she was out on an open plateau, and knowing that her friends would be smart enough to keep their distance, she now twirled the chakra strings effortlessly, sending the hundreds of gleaming ninja tools spinning quickly, the majestic sight sending a few stray shinobi scattering for cover.

"Tenten! Be careful! He's about to launch his Earth Techniques as well!"

Darui's holler reached her ears just as she did a backflip and sent the spinning blades screeching towards Kakuzu, who had surrounded himself with some boulders in order to minimise the impact of Tenten's attack, but to no avail. The sharpened blades made up of varying lengths, sizes and density, spun towards the quickly constructed rock wall and smashed their way through, each one of them piercing and cutting as they flew through the woven threads of the tentacles that he had formed over his flesh.

"Million Blade Chaos! Rain of Steel!"

Tenten's roar was filled with rage, as every single fibre in her body filled with hatred for this heartless creature responsible for hundreds of lives lost all around the battleground. Her fingers expertly manipulating the almost invisible chakra strings attached to the hilt of each and every single blade, she sent them all hovering around mid-air a distance above Kakuzu to inspect the damage he had suffered thus far. Though he had managed to cover himself with his tentacles just in time before Tenten's blades first reached him, the ferocity of all those knives cutting through them had almost stripped them bare, exposing the brown flesh within. Already, his incredible body structure was rapidly weaving more protective threads and the Chunin knew she had no time to lose. Taking a quick intake of breath, with a mental command, she ignited the explosive tags attached to the blades and the next few seconds were a sight to behold, as the vast amount of blades flew at Kakuzu and detonated themselves as they pierced through his web of tentacles.

The resulting explosion and the smoke that filled the area caused Tenten and the others to retreat slightly. Before they could recover fully however, Izumo gave a sudden cry, "Look! In the sky! He must have summoned his hearts back to help him!"

Tenten shook her head but wore a slightly triumphant smile as she raised her bent torso when she spied the two elemental hearts she had witnessed earlier burning and tearing all their wretched victims apart. She looked at the three men for a moment, but found no words that could explain what she had planned to do next. Turning back to see that the creatures were now within the vicinity, she knew that there would be minimal casualties if she could succeed in what she had planned to do.

Tenten muttered an almost inaudible "Sorry" as she suddenly leapt into the air, turned back and caught the three men off-guards by tying each of them down with a weighted chain. Ignoring the cries and protests of her Konoha comrades – Darui had kept silent after being chained – the girl gave a doleful look as she struggled to find an explanation. Failing miserably, she turned to face Kakuzu and his elemental hearts again, but stopped in her tracks when she heard Darui's words:

"You have the Bashosen, don't you?"

Refusing to look at him, and noticing that the two younger men had stopped their shouting, Tenten gave a silent nod.

"If you use it, you may die. You know that, right?" Darui's voice was kept firm and steady.

"Tenten! No! Don't do it! You don't know how it works anyway!"

"No, she was the one who took out the Lightning Mask."

Darui's suspicions, all confirmed in these few seconds, were no longer any burden for Tenten. Her eyes shimmered as she finally turned to face them and gave a weak smile, noticing that in less than a minute, these three men would have freed themselves with Darui's own prowess.

"I have to... I have to do this. I can't let anyone else … I can't watch them kill anyone else."

Tenten stifled a sob as she now looked at Izumo and Kotetsu, "Please tell my friends… please tell Neji… I … I will … I love … I love them all."

With that, Konoha's young mistress of ninja tools summoned the Banana Leaf Fan, gripped its hilt tightly and leapt into the air.


	12. Chapter 12

**Part 3: Of Leafy Fans and Hearty Attacks (continued)**

The sun, its rays basking the horizon in its cosy comfort, caused the uncountable metallic objects to glitter against the rubble, the reflection caused by the evening light making it seem as if a thousand diamonds were lying on the ground. It was as if this part of the north-western coast of the Land of Lightning had become a metal wasteland that seemed to stretch for acres, with Tenten's unconventional weaponry scattered around the barren area, gleaming blades jutting out of loosened rock blown out of the ground. Similarly, jagged shards of steel were protruding out as if they were bits of underground roots, a reminder of the successive explosions that had taken the land apart just minutes ago.

"_You don't have to do this, Tenten. I know you've already done your best."_

Guy's words, spoken all those years back but now resounding quite loudly in her head, caused an indescribable warmth to radiate from her core, as she kept her sparkling brown orbs fixed on her opponents. Loose strands of her hair floated gently, caught in the sea breeze that had come with the evening tide. Her fringe swished against her forehead protector as she lowered her head slightly and allowed herself a brief moment of reprieve as the memory of her Sensei's words struck a chord in her heart. Guy's ardent personality, often misunderstood for one of being concupiscent and emblazoned greatly in his overwhelmingly choking outbursts about the springtime of youth, guts and red-hot passion in dealing with every single training session and battle, had for once, been drastically toned down the night he had discovered her alone at Konoha's battered training field. Probably due to his mellowed down nature – one that lasted only for a while, alas - after Lee and Neji's near-fatal experiences with the Sound Five ninja, he had trailed his sole female student one night. After watching her polishing her techniques into the wee hours of the morning, he had finally revealed his presence and entered the gate, even though Tenten had noticed him right from the beginning. She waited for him to cross the field strewn with kunai, shurikens and spiked iron balls all over, each step he took causing her throat to constrict itself, as if bile was rising along her oesophagus. When he whispered those words to her in an uncharacteristically soft voice, she managed to swallow the lump back down, even though it had taken a considerable amount of effort not to burst into tears again every time she thought of Neji and Lee nearly losing their lives while attempting to rescue a lost comrade. Choosing not to reveal the guilt and shame that had engulfed her over the past week … the fact that she had been taken down so easily during her quick battle against Temari… that she had been deemed inadequate to be involved in the mission to retrieve Sasuke Uchiha … that she had not been there for her closest friends when they had nearly delivered their lives in order to fix a great wrong… Tenten had only whispered three words back to her mentor before sealing her weapons with warm tears streaming down her face,

"_I have to."_

These were the words reverberating against her eardrums, as Izumo and Kotetsu's loud protests reached her once again, warning her of the insurmountable danger that she was subjecting herself to. Kakuzu, with two of his elemental hearts hovering menacingly above him, now seemed to wear a look of slight admiration as the last of his black threads weaved his incredible body structure back into place, reminding the few witnesses paying close attention why he was once known as half of Akatsuki's Immortal Duo.

"The Bashosen," the resurrected monster almost gave a leer with his stitched mouth, his eyes now glued to the fan Tenten was holding in front of her, and dancing in a manner that seemed to imply that he was laughing at the posture of her wielding the revered ninja tool in such an awkward, protective stance. "You did it on purpose, didn't you? Impressive. You managed to … force me to bring two of my hearts back, to lure them away from the troops and to try to destroy them with a weapon that even you would not know how to manoeuvre."

The cackle that followed did nothing to perturb Tenten, who simply tilted her head slightly before announcing, "I destroyed your Raiton mask. The Lightning monster? I took it out with this fan."

The silence that followed matched the expression that the zombie now wore, one that tried not to appear quizzical yet was evidently filled with much disbelief and awe. Her right hand holding on to the hilt, her left hand now unfurled one scroll and unsealed a dozen spiked kunai grenades that were sent flying behind her, a move that caused the three approaching men to halt dead in their tracks… a sign that told them to stay back. Tenten now saw her adversary's tanned shoulders shudder as he moved his head back for a few seconds, seconds that she took to do a mental calculation of the elements that she hoped to be able to summon to deal with the two elemental beasts of Fire and Wind. The maniacal laughter that erupted from the villain sent a chill down Tenten's spine, but she held her ground, as with the raw speed that Ino had once told her about, Kakuzu's tentacles cut through the smoky air in such a blinding manner that Tenten only had a second to take a quick breath before she hurtled her tensed body into the air, and took a fierce swing with the Bashosen.

"Don't mock me, girl! I'm going to kill you now!"


	13. Chapter 13

**Of Leafy Fans and Hearty Attacks (continued)**

The skies exploded in a series of elements battling their way through one another, bursting in a vivid display of dazzling colours. Fire met ice, lightning bolts crackled against the earth and wind torrents whipped everything up into an elemental storm. The chains that Tenten had unsealed from both of her scrolls still buckled in her belt holster strained against the wind attack, although, wrapped tightly around some boulders, they were currently still sturdy enough to keep the kunoichi tethered to the ground. A few seconds later, Tenten mentally commanded these weighted chains to loosen their grip, and propelled herself into the air again, trailing them as if it took little effort to carry and manipulate such heavy chains along with her small body.

The ground was now torn apart once again, and Tenten's scattered weapons and metal scraps were clashing and clanging against one another noisily as they rode the air currents that had been whipped up by the Bashosen and spiralled towards Kakuzu, whose red sclera and green irises were blazing in unbridled fury. He had been thrown back by the girl's first swing with the legendary weapon, aghast that she was really able to wield the fan and totally unprepared for the gale thrown against him. His Fire and Wind elemental hearts had followed and swooped down to attack, but both masks' elemental properties were now equally matched with the Bashosen's prowess, with Tenten strategically summoning an element with each swing that would either hold their assault or attempt to attack them directly.

The tiny tornados now whirling towards him were filled with those meddlesome weapons that had done little to hurt him, but enough to hold him back. The Takigakure defector had to grudgingly admit this pesky brat had indeed been resourceful enough to be able to manipulate the Bashosen and incorporate her own techniques using ninja tools that he would never deem competent against him. Famed for being a ninja with a wide array of abilities, the Akatsuki treasurer would barely pay any attention to someone as lowly ranked as a Chunin, what more a teenage girl as young as this weapon-wielder. Keeping his eyes peeled and still wearing that macabre sneer, he bent his torso slightly as he commanded his squirming dark grey threads to tighten themselves into a mass of tentacles, suspecting that his opponent should already have realised that apart from propelling towards him at a faster rate, the combination of wind and metal would do little to harm him. Despite this thought, Kakuzu sniggered as he nodded silently to no one in particular, telling himself that the girl was skilful enough for him to develop a form of grudging respect he usually reserved only for more outstanding opponents, and that he would be collecting her heart to replace the one she had destroyed with the Bashosen.

Seconds before the discordant weapon onslaught reached him, dozens of Fuma Shurikens spun furiously out of the tornados. Kakuzu's sight was temporarily blocked by the whirling heaps now slamming violently against his invulnerable body, now hardened by the Earth Spear Technique courtesy of his Earth elemental mask, but his senses were picking up the whirring sounds of the Fuma Shurikens flying all around him. Moments later, as the dust settled after the impact of the metal failing to accomplish much other than leaving a few pathetic scratches all over his torso, the razor-sharp blades sliced through the air as they hurled themselves towards him at a rattling speed. His tentacles and body structure ever ready, Kakuzu managed a slight snigger as the weapons failed to pierce his flesh. Nevertheless, he fixed his gaze intently at the girl still standing strong, still keeping a watchful distance, still wielding that bothersome fan. There was a serenity in his voice as he sang, "I'm coming for you, little girl. I want your heart."

Tenten gritted her teeth as she saw the last of her Fuma Shurikens fall helplessly onto the metallic heaps surrounding the towering figure. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a split second as she wiped her brow with her free hand, the other still holding on to the Bashosen. In the past ten minutes, the female Chunin had used the leafy ninja tool a grand total of six times, and her chakra reserves had been greatly depleted. Although she had been more well-prepared after her first mishap earlier with the Lightning mask, her knees were still buckling each time she took a swing and used her mind to control the elemental techniques sprouting from the fan. While her chains were keeping her body in check and from being thrown helplessly into the heavily charged air, it was evident that she would need to take a break soon, for she was not certain how much more her weakened body could endure the immense strain.

Whether it was a gigantic stream of hellish flames or tremendous bursts of water spouts appearing miraculously in mid-air, each time Tenten managed to summon a desired element simply by using her mind to command the fan, her heart palpitated wildly as a sense of awe took over her entire being. Never had she been able to experience such a thrill, even though she possessed almost every form of weaponry in her disposal. Her heart raced as she moved along, in sync with her mind now working furiously as the masked monsters, though now evidently more cautious due to such an atrocious turn of events coming so unexpectedly from this lone, audacious individual, circled warily in the air as they looked for open opportunities to perform their techniques. Ever vigilant in keeping a safe distance – keeping enemies at bay had always been her forte – and calculating her next move, Tenten felt her palms damp with perspiration, perspiration that seemed to be trickling out of every single pore of her body. The combined assault of wind gusts and weapons had kept Kakuzu at a distance, but the woven black threads were approaching closer than ever. Over the horizon, she could see a third darkened figure gliding forward, and the anticipation of using the Bashosen's powers again was now being rapidly replaced by an overpowering sense of dread. Holding her own for the past few minutes against Kakuzu and two of his hearts was almost more than she could handle, and no matter how much she tried to use Neji's techniques to conserve and replenish chakra while keeping her lithe body ever ready for battle, it was clear that she would not be able sustain using the Bashosen for much longer… a fact that she was quite certain that Kakuzu knew and would definitely be using against her very soon.

As she switched hands in order to wipe her right hand on her already dampened flak jacket, Tenten stole another quick glance at the magical weapon that she was wielding. The voices of her Hokage and Sensei took turns to repeat their warnings over and over again, as what Darui had revealed about the Bashosen muddled her thoughts as well. Each time she decided that she would abandon the fan however - fearing that the next summon would be her last - numerous images of the day's event flashed in her mind: the bodies floating on the bloodied waters… the Zetsu clones performing all those atrocities on soldiers caught off-guard… the way Kakuzu's tentacles pierced through innocent bodies in order for him to reconstruct his elemental hearts… the Tailed Beast form of Kinkaku annihilating vast numbers of their troop. Each time she felt her confidence waver and the strength draining from her body, Chouza's earlier words reminding her of how her friends and comrades were still battling to keep Tobi and Kabuto's forces from taking over the shinobi world, would provide just that extra bit of determination… would give her that additional sense of responsibility… would reduce the immense fears threatening to bring her down… would enhance her willingness to lay her life down in battle for her comrades. Swallowing the last bits of saliva in her parched mouth, the kunoichi heaved a deep sigh, squared her shoulders and started forward again, her right forearm raised in front of her, her left hand trailing the Bashosen behind her.

Almost as soon as her feet left the ground, the earth blew up all around her, almost devouring her in its wake. "His Earth Heart… it's reached him!" Before she could regain her bearings at this unexpected assault, her sharp eyesight detected the Wind Mask soaring above and sending a torrent of wind energy whirling towards her at a dazzling speed. Instinctively, she knew that if she got hit, the Wind Style Pressure would tear her apart; if it hit the ground the resulting blast would split the earth and send the whole cliff plummeting into the rocky waters, with it another wave of exhausted and drained shinobi.

The quick-witted girl ignored the quaking earth sending rocks flying all around, knowing fully well that the chains she had summoned as a defence mechanism would prove futile in this situation. Biting her lower lip, she sent a dozen scorching fireballs blasting upwards with one swing, and a contrastingly cooling wind gust that propelled the fiery trails forward with the next, a combination that she had ironically derived from the way Kakuzu's elemental demons had devastated the surrounding landscape with their fire-wind dual versatility.

"Katon! Futon! Fire-Wind Wheels!"

Tenten managed a throaty croak, her eyes dancing wildly as the spinning flames sped towards the Wind Mask's wide-ranged gust and exploded against it, enveloping the skies in a fiery blaze that stretched itself out for several hundred metres. Although having seared Kakuzu's wind technique into oblivion, Tenten was far from ecstatic as the two swings performed in such quick succession and having summoned such diverse yet strong moves had literally knocked the wind out of her. Knowing that she could not keep herself air-borne for much longer, her heartbeat accelerated not just from the toll her young body had just taken, but also due to the continued realisation that she had nowhere safe to land, with Kakuzu pulverising the already treacherous cliff, Tenten gave a desperate whimper even as her eyes searched furiously for a secure site.

The air currents came alive within the next second, as a familiar crackle filled the atmosphere. Tenten almost screamed out loud as her mind reeled in horror, her heart almost bursting out of her heaving chest. Had Kakuzu already resurrected his Raiton heart within those last few moments when she had been distracted? At the very next moment, the earth techniques that were scouring the land were grounded to an abrupt halt, and the youth managed a weak smile as realisation hit her. It was a sight for sore eyes as a few more bolts of black lightning shot across the horizon, the sizzling energy effortlessly immobolising Kakuzu's Earth elemental mask, even from such a vast distance away.

"Tenten!"

Darui's strong baritone sent a jolt up her body and the panting girl felt another wave of relief washing over her battered body. Almost collapsing as she landed shakily, she fell into Kotetsu's strong arms as Division One's general landed steadily in front of her, his fists still glowing from having just activated his Lightning Release abilities.

"You have to stop, Tenten!" Izumo cried as he appeared alongside his partner, his hand cradling five soldier pills that he now brought to her mouth with his trembling hand. "You need to replenish your chakra levels!"

"We'll hold him back," Kotetsu reassured her, his voice filled with more excitement and delight than his peer as he tightened the grip on her shoulders. "General Darui… his Water and Lightning techniques can work well against Kakuzu as well, so we can fend him off for a while."

"That's not enough," Tenten whispered after she swallowed the pills eagerly, knowing that it might only take a few minutes for some of her strength to return but even then, her chakra levels would not be recovered as quickly. "We need to destroy the hearts in order to take him down. General Darui… I need to tell you something…"

The tall man gave a genuine smile as he lowered himself to the ground on one knee, with Izumo now keeping watch on Kakuzu.

"You've done wonders, Ms Tenten," he now spoke reassuringly, unusually different from his perpetually languid manner. "Sorry we had to trouble you so much but leave him to us now. You can't possibly use the Bashosen any much longer."

Tenten inhaled a few times as she licked her dry lips and kept her eyes tightly closed for a while as she shook her head, indicating that she was hardly asking for praise and appreciation. Darui listened intently as the girl brought her torso into a more upright position even as she continued leaning against Kotetsu's strong body, treasuring these few moments of rest and comfort. The Raikage's right-hand man's lazy eyes widened slightly as Tenten softly explained what she had accomplished earlier, and gave a grateful nod with an even wider grin. Darui stared at the exhausted Chunin for one more awe-struck second and could not resist giving her a couple of pats on her head, careful not to mess up her neatly tied Chinese-style hair buns.

"You are one of the most courageous and resourceful kunoichi I've ever met, Ms Tenten," he laughed as he turned his gaze back to the figure now having three of his black-threaded woven masses above him, undoubtedly maddened beyond belief by his failure to capture the kunoichi's heart. "Well, whenever you're ready then… Let me know when you've rested enough, so I'll follow your lead."

Tenten took another deep breath and nodded grimly, as a curious excitement tingled her senses even after what she had been through in such an inexplicable situation, one beyond her wildest dreams. Immensely thankful that the three men had rescued her just in time before Kakuzu's elemental jutsus had really almost overpowered her repertoire, one which had expanded exponentially in such an unbelievably amazing manner with the possession of a single ninja tool, Tenten raised herself unsteadily to her feet. As Kotetsu removed his hands from her shoulders, the Konoha weapon specialist braced herself for what she believed would be her last stand with the Akatsuki zombie.

Alas, the best laid plans often fail.


	14. Chapter 14

**Of Leafy Fans and Hearty Attacks (continued)**

"Soushoryuu!"

The barrage of kunai tied with explosive tags discharged from the scrolls spiralling protectively around Tenten, streaked through the air, the setting sun's rays shimmering brightly on the gleaming metal as they flew towards their intended targets. The young kunoichi seemed to be back in her element, tearing the atmosphere up with wave after wave of projectile weapons and providing long-distance support for her comrades. Darui, Kotetsu and Izumo were locked in close combat with Kakuzu, who, after Darui's unexpected assault with his Black Lightning bolts, seemed very much more cautious now, keeping his three elemental demons lingering close by. From her vantage aerial view, as she commanded her next wave of projectiles to detonate as they reached the hovering creatures, Tenten tried in vain to locate the last elemental mask.

"It's probably wrecking havoc below in the waters," she mumbled wearily, her voice still husky from the recent strain on her body. Her eyes narrowed as she turned her focus back to the battle at hand, determined to provide aid in whatever way she could to keep the masks at bay while the three men continued fighting Kakuzu. She knew that within the next few minutes, if everything went according to plan, her role in the current fight could be propelled rapidly to frontline status, if only for a few precious seconds.

As she kept the momentum going with her Kibaku Kunai distracting the elemental masks from providing Kakuzu with much-needed relief from his attackers, the teen suddenly recalled a memory she had with Naruto a few years back, in a mission that would have her wielding the unorthodox Jidanda for the very first time. It had been a very casual conversation as they were fishing by a river bank while awaiting Io to get Konoha's supply of kunai and shurikens ready for 'Team Tenten', deployed for this particular mission after Orochimaru's invasion of the Hidden Leaf Village. Naruto had snorted in his usual brash manner after listening to Tenten share her thoughts about her role in Team Guy, about how she was looking forward to be able to fight on the front lines with the right ninja tools, instead of simply rendering long distance support to Guy, Lee and Neji, who were all specialised in close combat. The orange-clad boy had insisted that as long as she wanted to do so, she should and she could.

The weight of the coveted ninja tool now securely strapped to her back brought Naruto's words of wisdom back to her, as she waited a little impatiently for Darui's signal, keeping her brown eyes both peeled eagerly at the taijutsu match going below, as well as observing any sudden movement of the masked masses of black threads. For the past few years, after increasing her repertoire with not only her vastly varied arsenal of weapons but also improving her speed and taijutsu skills, Tenten's background role in Team Guy had been diminished significantly. Though she would never be able to as bellicose as Lee and Guy, or as truculent as Neji in close-range combat, she had more than once turned the tide of the team's battles around by keeping a quick mind and leaping into the fray.

It was as if Darui had read her mind; as soon as her feet touched ground, Tenten drew in a sharp intake of breath when her eyes registered the general's first usage of his Lightning Release techniques – the moment she had been waiting for. Seeing that the masks were safely a distance away and were as distracted as Kakuzu by Darui, Kotetsu and Izumo, she responded immediately by a mental command and a quick wriggle of her fingers before she formed some hand seals. It was time to end this.

It was only a few seconds after Tenten had activated her abilities, did she notice how dangerously close to the ledge her Division One comrades were.

Among the silent heaps of metal covering the already heavily punished battleground, there was an abrupt surge of activity as a series of sharpened blades scraped through the rest of the weaponry and pulled themselves out of the wreckage. As if this perturbation was not weird and mysterious enough, each four-bladed Fuma Shuriken started spinning crazily as it hovered in mid-air once again, as if resurrected back to life on its own. The next second saw scores of whirling blades take off in an unexpectedly haphazard manner, shooting upwards into the sky in all directions.

If he could, Kakuzu would have spat; this must be a umpteenth time the feisty girl was attacking from the distance with those irritating metal blades of hers… when would she ever learn that they could do nothing except leave a scratch here and there on his hardened flesh? As he turned his attention away from the sight of the distant hovering blades however and snarled at his current opponents as he tried to release his tentacles, he froze, literally stopping in his tracks. It was only at this very instance as his irises moved down that he caught sight of the fine, almost invisible wires that were now doing their job; with the Fuma Shurikens that they had been loosely attached to now reactivated, the lines were now pulled taut and tight, immobilising the Akatsuki member. Stunned for a split second, Kakuzu managed yet another grudging thought of respect for the girl's ingenuity; she must have planned this from the very beginning when she sent the tornados of harmless weapons at him as a form of diversion and let her Demon-Wind Shurikens set this trap up, as they whirred around him yet seemingly failed to pierce him successfully and were allowed to just lie helplessly around the battlefield in wait – until now. Knowing that he kept his flesh tough and invulnerable with his earth techniques, the girl must have hoped that he would not feel the wires if she kept them loosely coiled over his limbs and torso. Still, surely she should also have realised that this temporary trap was not even a form of setback and that he would be able to free himself within a few moments and those pathetic shurikens of hers would have failed yet again.

Kakuzu's green eyes flashed as a sudden panic gripped his entire being when a familiar electrical charge filled the atmosphere. Even as he mentally commanded his hearts to act, he knew in his desperation that it would be too late.

"Lightning Release: Black Panther!"

The first strike paralysed Kakuzu even further, the intensity of Darui's attack set to an incredibly high voltage. Imbued by his water techniques, the tall dark-skinned Jounin's electrifying assault was crackling all over the hardened shell of Kakuzu's body, vastly reducing his invulnerability properties and causing him to feel intense pain in every single one of his cells.

Just as the elemental wind demon was about to swoop down and take out its master's assailant with its own lightning-insulating prowess, the winged creature was sent scurrying away by a stream of flames hurtling towards it in the form of a fiery dragon. Tenten watched in a mixture of rapt fascination and anxiety as she panted heavily, one knee on the ground, which now seemed to be rumbling in some form of protest.

"The ground… the guys… the ground… it's breaking apart!"

True enough, even as the Earth mask shattered in response to Darui's next wave of Black Lightning techniques, its destruction generated tremors that ripped across the plateau, the extensive impact splitting an enormous portion of the overhanging cliff from the rocky hill.

"NO!"

Six metallic chains screeched out of the two scrolls locked in her holster, in a futile attempt to reach her comrades; Tenten watched the disastrous scene unfold, wide and teary-eyed as the thundering rupturing of the earth sent her comrades plummeting into the waters below. The stricken girl only had one more moment to gather her wits, however, for two elemental masks remained in the air… looking… observing… watching the colour drain from her face. Tenten swallowed hard and inhaled deeply, trying in vain to recover from the harrowing scene as her fingers curled tightly over the Bashosen's hilt.

"It's your turn, you bastards! It's your turn to be destroyed next!"


	15. Chapter 15

**Of Leafy Fans and Hearty Attacks (continued)**

The colossal figure of Akimichi Chouji drew the attention of every single being across the vast battlefield as he took to the air, the cocoon of chakra energy that had sprouted from his back taking the form of humungous butterfly wings. It was as if everyone had paused momentarily to gawk at the Konoha teen's airborne massive form skyrocketing across, his fearsome fists now appearing more threatening than ever. His usually squeaky voice had taken a remarkably confident tone as it boomed across the skies, as he now boldly proclaimed that he was going to end the battle.

Tenten allowed her eyes to linger on her friend for a few more seconds; as he soared past the plateaus, she thought she heard Ino's excited yelps as well. Chouji must have been holding his friends in his enlarged hand… that meant they had successfully ended the battle with their resurrected Sensei. Tenten felt a slight twinge of sympathy for her friends; it must have been utterly heart-wrenching for them to have fought and taken down their beloved mentor. With this thought, she gritted her teeth as she turned back, unfaltering in her determination to end her bitter feud with Kakuzu's masked demons. If her beloved friends could actually find the strength to go through such a painful experience with Asuma, she could find the strength to continue fighting those abominations.

Apart from being relieved that her friends were safe and would most certainly help turn the tide around for Division One with Chouji's current form, the sprightly girl had another reason to celebrate. While she had stood at the ledge for those mere seconds watching her airborne friends, her sharp senses had been pricked by a familiar surge of electrical energy hundreds of metres away, way below along the coast.

"Black Lightning!" she squealed as her heart gave a lurch. "General Darui…if he's alive… that means…perhaps Kotetsu and Izumo are safe as well!"

For the past few minutes, Tenten had been overwhelmed by a combination of grief, rage and remorse, cursing herself for not being quick-witted enough to prevent her friends from being thrown over the cliff by the sudden earthquake unleashed in such an expeditious manner by the now demolished Earth elemental mask in its last moments. The Chunin now kept her eyes peeled as she scoured the coastal areas – fortunately enough, based on where she had detected the Black Lightning earlier, she now caught quick glimpses of the ongoing fight between Kakuzu's squirming tentacles and her three comrades.

Barely able to contain the delight and gratification of having found out that her friends were safe and sound for the moment, Tenten felt her entire being filled with an irresistible warmth. Just moments earlier, she had felt her stomach churn with indescribable terror as she witnessed her Konoha seniors and division general precipitate violently into the bloody waters. Now, as she turned back to face her adversaries once again, the young kunoichi could not help but wear an undisguised grin of triumph.

It was if her emotions were going through a roller-coaster ride the whole day, for once she turned around, Tenten felt her sinking heart palpitate wildly yet again. While her mind had been racing madly coming up with ways to deal with Kakuzu's Wind and Fire elemental masks, the ones she had an unquenchable grudge for having witnessed them take hundreds of lives, she had not been prepared to now be facing Kakuzu's last mask. Though she had to admit that she had been vehemently hunting for the Water Mask, she had not expected it to appear so suddenly, so unexpectedly. The three creatures floated menacingly in the air, their bodies of black woven threads masking the tremendous prowess they innately held and their innocent-looking masks belying the treacheries and brutalities they were capable of.

As fervent as she might be in her resolve to destroy these vexing monsters, all her mental calculations told her that it would almost be impossible for her to face all three of them on her own. Before, it was with Darui's immense Kekkei Genkai abilities that she had been able to hold them back and allow him take the Earth mask out; now she was at a loss; with the Bashosen being the only way to summon elements to destroy them, how was she fight all three masks at once when it had already depleted half of her chakra reserves?

"Kakuzu… he must have commanded the water mask here," the kunochi muttered as she raised the fan defensively while facing her new opponent, now approaching her slowly and steadily. As realisation hit her that the villain had almost certainly resorted to this move due to his own fear of being defeated and sealed, she took a few steps back cautiously, keeping her eyes fixed on the masks. The Bashosen was most probably the only thing that stood between Kakuzu's masks and the Shinobi troops; with two of his masks already shattered into oblivion, he must be greatly perturbed and worried about his own existence, albeit in this viciously audacious form.

"Earth… I have to use earth techniques against this creature…"

As if her prayers were being answered, two strapping young men landed neatly in front of the young teen, both working harmoniously in unison as they slammed their fists sharply to the rocky ground.

"Earth Release: Rock Trail Attack!"

The ground was split apart as jagged boulders exploded from beneath, creating a mountain-like trail. Stupefied for a moment, Tenten barely had time to register the appearance of the two Iwa youths before a third figure bounded up from behind and somersaulted over their heads. As quick as lightning, the young woman attacked from mid-air, spewing some sort of substance from her mouth.

"_Yoton_! Lava Release: Quicklime Congealing Technique!"

A large amount of quicklime was expelled from the Iwa kunoichi's mouth, the viscous fluid spurting towards the masked demon at an astounding speed. Almost as quickly however, the Water Mask retaliated by forming a huge dome of water swirling protectively over its body of black threads, rendering the moves of the three Iwa shinobi inconsequential. Nevertheless, with the arrival of three more soldiers, the elemental creature beat a quiet retreat hastily, rising to join its partners in crime higher up in the air.

"She's the girl who saved you earlier?"

Tenten's forehead furrowed as she caught a hint of disbelief in the voice of the young woman clad in a deep maroon outfit. As she turned around, the short-haired kunochi revealed her large pink eyes accentuated by her lashes running upwards at the corners. Wearing Iwa's standard brown flak jacket over her red uniform, she was wearing a skirt over her legs adorned in fishnet stockings. What irked Tenten slightly then was the confident sneer she wore at the moment, as she ran her irises up and down the Konoha Chunin. That feeling lasted only a second, however, as the kunoichi's next words were much friendlier than expected.

"Tenten, right? I'm Kurotsuchi," the Iwa Jounin now extended her right hand in greeting. "I must thank you for rescuing Mugi and Yabuza. They just can't do without us kunoichi, isn't it?"


	16. Chapter 16

**Of Leafy Fans and Hearty Attacks (continued)**

Across the land, the orange sun spread its bright rays outwards, illuminating everything in its path as it took its time to set. Scattered all over the coastal regions were groups still engaged in battle, the occasional fiery burst or electrical streak adding vivid colour to the gloomy waters and dull beaches cast in shadow by the overhanging cliffs. One particular plateau, elevated high above the waters, stood out; while many pockets strewn all over the land were in still caught in active combat, this quartet seemed to be content simply gazing upwards at three black creatures drifting in mid-air.

"We have been fighting that water demon at the beach areas below," Mugi gruntled, his barrel chest heaving as he kept his eyes locked on Kakuzu's elemental monsters. "That… vile… monstrosity… took many of our comrades."

Tenten noticed the dried blood trailing from the young man's temple to his jaw, nodding in acknowledgement of the creatures' barbarism, her earlier fears about the water mask unfortunately confirmed. As churlish as his tone was, Mugi's sullen expression changed to one of gaiety and appreciation when he turned to face the Konoha teen who had saved his and his companion's lives a few hours ago. "We saw you take out the Lightning Mask with that wicked fan of yours."

The female Jounin who had introduced herself as Kurotsuchi now peered inquisitively at the leafy tool Tenten was holding on to, piercing eyes narrowed. The younger kunoichi could sense the Iwa shinobi's incredulity, and heaved a sigh. Having little choice, she spent the next minute summarising what had been going on and explained the nature of the Bashosen, taking care to emphasise on its chakra devouring nature and how she had to incorporate her own weapon techniques to hold Kakuzu and his masks back in the past hour or so.

"Tenten!" exclaimed Mugi immediately as soon as she had finished. "You're putting your life at risk! You shouldn't use the fan anymore!"

"Mugi's right, as were General Darui and your comrades from Konoha," added Yabuza, who wore a much calmer disposition, although his voice sounded as worried as his partner. "I've studied about the tools belonging to the Sage of the Six Paths. It's a miracle that you're still alive, given that they consume chakra in such immense amounts."

The Konoha Chunin lowered her glistening eyes, her earlier determination to continue using the revered weapon against the remaining elemental monsters wavering slightly. In less than a moment, however, she raised her head again, and, as exhausted as she felt, defiantly proclaimed, "I'll do what I have to do to take these masks out…" before softening her tone and continuing quietly, "with all your help of course."

"I like your guts, girl!" Kurotsuchi's eyes gleamed as she patted Tenten on her back. The normally brash and audacious woman seemed to have found a kindred spirit in the Konoha girl, perhaps due to the way her two fellow Iwagakure peers had sung her praises about her expertise with her myriad ninja tools and the plucky nature she had displayed, putting her life in potentially fatal situations for the sake of saving the lives of people she did not even know. As Tenten returned her smile weakly, Kurotsuchi's own grin and cheery feeling dissipated; it was evident that no matter how courageous and persistent this girl was, her body might not be able to sustain its strength and chakra levels for much longer.

"Still," the Iwa girl now spoke in a gentler voice, surprising her two friends who now turned to glance at each other, bewildered. "I think you really need to control the use of the fan, Tenten. We've been attacking the water mask for some time, and I believe it's already weakened by our techniques. We will just need to…"

Tenten's her heightened senses tingled, her sharp ears detecting the telling signs at least one of the masks powering up. With little time to do much else, she shoved Kurotsuchi roughly aside and unfurled one of her scrolls, quickly summoning a large iron dome, one resembling that of an armadillo's shell, to envelope all four of them within a second. Caught off-guard, the three Iwa shinobi could only cover their ears as the Wind Mask's gale blades tried in vain to slice the dome apart.

"Sorry…" Tenten apologised meekly to Kurotsuchi in the darkness, who seemed stunned out of her wits, having to keep her body bent in such an uncomfortable position with three others. "I… I call it the Iron Protection Wall. We're lucky it's not the Fire Mask attacking though. We'd be cooked alive."

Taking this situation as an opportune time to strategise, the four individuals quickly drew up a plan, with the two men insisting that Tenten not use the Bashosen at all. Kurotsuchi intervened as, like Tenten, she remained fully aware that they had to take the masks out as quickly as possible so that Darui and the rest could stop Kakuzu for good.

"How about we take turns using it?" Mugi shouted, fuming as Yabuza tried to calm him down. "This way, we can ensure that not we all keep our chakra reserves at a certain level and not run out."

It was at this suggestion that Tenten froze, a fresh bout of fear gnawing at her nerves. There was a moment of tense silence before Yabuza stated that it might not be a workable option.

"I'm almost certain that the reason why Tenten can wield this tool is due to her proficiency with ninja tools. It might not respond to the rest of us at all," the youth articulated his thoughts, seemingly assured based on what he had studied. "Based on what she's saying, it seems as if the fan… called out to her in the midst of the battlefield."

"We can try using it, though, can't we?" Mugi stubbornly tried to refute, raising his voice as another wind blast created a reverberating jolt. "I mean… we've got to try… if not… Tenten…"

In the enclosed darkness, the Konoha teen could feel her own heart pounding wildly, as Kurotsuchi bluntly asked how many more times she could use the fan, choosing to ignore what Mugi had suggested.

"I …I believe that I have about five good swings left," stammered Tenten, feeling the lump rise in her throat again. "Six or seven, at the most, if I don't summon terribly powerful attacks."

"Then we'll have to make them count, don't we?" Tenten was mildly surprised by the other kunoichi's sudden gentle tone and felt her hand clasping her own tightly. "Good luck, Tenten. Let's show the bastards what we kunochi are capable of." Before the four went ahead with their plan, however, she whispered into Tenten's ear, "Use the fan only when you really need to, okay? We've got your back."

In the next minute, the iron dome slid open smoothly, to reveal only one lone figure standing upright, a weirdly gigantic fan in hand. The three elemental masks were circling overhead, obviously awaiting a chance to attack again.

Inhaling deeply, the Konoha teenager felt the warm evening breeze caress her face, a welcome distraction for that split second. As naïve as she thought she had been, believing that wielding the Bashosen would help end Kakuzu's reign of terror on the battleground, she had to admit that she could not do it alone. Despite being separated from her Konoha peers, it had been fortuitous that she had encountered so many like-minded individuals who shared the same cause and willing to risk their lives in order to take down these abominable creatures, so that the carnage could be reduced.

"If only you could see me now, Neji… Lee… Guy Sensei," she lowered her head slightly as the wind picked up and stung her eyes. The memory of her teammates only enhanced her fortitude in face of her current adversity. Guy and Lee would probably ignore all ramifications and plough through each and every ordeal, and she knew that Neji would fight till the last of his chakra remnants if he was required to.

It was at this moment that the Water Mask, having noticed that the three Iwa shinobi were no longer around to be a threat, gave a creepy gurgle and swooped down towards Tenten.


	17. Chapter 17

**Of Leafy Fans and Hearty Attacks (continued)**

Even as she saw the mask move down towards her, the kunoichi stood firm and held on to a scroll in one hand and the Bashosen in the other, knowing fully well that she had to keep her timing as precise as possible if the plan was to work. With three of Kakuzu's elemental masks left, she had to ensure that she used the arsenal of weapons at her disposal as much as possible until it was time to use the deadly fan. Once she felt the mask power up in that split second however, it was time to act, keeping her senses as alert as possible to ensure that she could keep the other two masks at bay as well.

"Demon-Subduing Chains!"

As she rocketed into the air and summoned her devastating metallic chains, the monster released gigantic waves of swirling water that crashed through the land, threatening to swallow anything in their path. Tenten felt her own perspiration trickle down her nape as she caught sight of the tremendous waves churn their way across the plateau, remembering her own watery escapades with another Akatsuki member Kisame, and her own clone, also activated by the devious organisation. Keeping in mind that she would not want to be entrapped in a water prison again, she focused her energy on staying in the air, watching the dozen chains do their job of enfettering the creature and pulling it down with their combined weight.

"_Ka!_"

Without waiting for the monster to gather its wits or for its two counterparts to respond, the Chunin hollered for the explosive tags wrapped around the weighted chains to detonate. The series of blasts rattled the elemental mask greatly, and Tenten's pulse raced as she watched it ricochet back and forth in the air from the impact of each racking explosion.

Even though it was being bound in chains and its body was sagging closer to the ground with each detonation, the water mask was capable of blasting spurts of water towards Tenten. Grinding her teeth as the first spout splashed upon the gargantuan shield she had conjured, the girl felt a painful ripple move through her whole body. She froze momentarily as she tried to recover from the enormous impact, fearing that the next jet of water would cause her bones to shatter or send her plunging into the newly formed lake below.

"Curses! I can't hold on much longer… but I have to continue… distracting it…"

Manoeuvring speedily away from the next couple of water jets, Tenten performed several graceful and nifty aerial flips and turns before her sandals touched the edge of a particularly tall boulder jutting out of the water. She quickly fired a few dozen explosive-tagged kunai towards the three masks, hoping that the following detonations and explosions would keep them occupied or at least temporarily blinded.

"Come on," she mumbled urgently, gripping onto the fan's hilt tightly and calculating the seconds as she saw the Water Mask dip further towards the ground. "They have to move soon, if we want the plan to work… Come on… now!"

The petite yet nimble figure of the Iwa female shinobi burst out of the waters, appearing just a few feet away from the target. Tenten's heart gave a lurch as her own legs brought her own body hurtling across the water surface; Kurotsuchi had blasted several spurts of her Lava Release technique from behind, with each attack hitting the masked creature squarely on the back. The viscous quicklime glued itself to the monster's woven black threads, hardening rapidly and trapping the mask within. The whole mass of congealed substance and black threads hit the rocky surface of a rectangular boulder that the Iwa girl had summoned as she flew out of the ground. Her eyes blazing with undisguised fury as she landed neatly on the water surface, Kurotsuchi raised her torso and roared, "Tenten! Now!"

Wearing an expression that was as fiercely determined as her fellow kunoichi, Konoha's weapons mistress gave an absent-minded nod as she climbed the air currents swiftly and propelled her body forward until she was within mere metres of the entrapped creature. The first wave of her unfurled scroll sent five spiked iron balls pierce their way into the creature and ensnare it further into the rock, each one taking a certain corner of the mass with pin-point accuracy; Tenten's next silent command saw her scroll spiralling upwards crazily, forming the shape of a gigantic ball.

"_Sogu_! _Kyokudai Tekyu_!"

It was not easy to impress Kurotsuchi, a capable and skilled kunoichi in her own right, but impressed she was. She saw the younger girl traverse across the water at an astounding speed and whip out those spiked balls so deftly from her scroll to entrap the currently blinded Water Mask even further, but it was the sight of the young girl's spiralling scroll transforming into a gigantic iron spiked ball that caused Kurotsuchi to stop in her tracks, utterly flabbergasted. The ninja tool was easily more than fifty times Tenten's size, yet the girl was wielding it so effortlessly with chakra-infused wire-strings. Even her two comrades who had just appeared out of the water were as mesmerised, and the three looked on with their jaws hanging in perverse delight as the teen swung the fearsome weapon downwards and slammed it onto the elemental monster.

Even before the dust had settled, the weapons expert was already on her second wind. The three Iwa shinobi had expected the whole boulder to be smashed into pieces together with the Water Mask, but Tenten did not seem to be done, maintaining utter control and meticulous precision of her technique. Landing neatly on one of the protruding spikes, all the while still holding on to the Bashosen, she did a few hand-seals, and to everyone's astonishment, each and every single one of the three dozen spikes extended outwards, revealing explosive tags within. Launching a graceful but powerful backflip that saw her soaring across the waters, Tenten yelled for the rest to fall back, and knew that time was of essence when she saw the two other elemental masks surge forward to aid their counterpart.

"Jidanda! 36 Arms of Demolition! _Ka_!"

Tenten squeezed her eyes shut for a few seconds as she felt the resounding boom reverberate across the horizon. Using her trusty shield as a protection against the flying debris, she could discern that the two approaching masks had been blown back by the explosive impact of Jidanda's detonation as well. It was her turn to watch, as her three comrades, erupting from their Earth Dome they had constructed for protection, followed her outrageous attack promptly after the smoke had cleared and Jidanda's gleaming spherical shell had rolled away lazily, spent.

"_Doton_! Earth Flow Spears!"

Mugi and Yabuza's synchronised commands sent a dozen spikes protruding from the ground and skewering the creature's threads, but they did not manage to penetrate the mask. Nevertheless, Tenten felt a smile form on her face as she heard the now-familiar and very comforting voice of the red-clad kunochi, filled with so much confidence, bravado and ferocity, as she took a nose-dive towards the utterly weakened and defeated Water Mask, its fortitude and mettle crushed beyond salvation by the preceding assaults.

"_Doton_! _Kengan no Jutsu_!"

Recognising this Fist Rock technique as one that Kurotsuchi's father, Kitsuchi had used earlier against the Tailed-Beast form of Kinkaku, Tenten's eyes shimmered in elation as they took in the sight of the young woman's fist, now encased with rock like the rest of her arm, find its way more than a dozen times to the centre of the mask. It was Tenten's turn to be in awe, as she marvelled at the strength this young kunoichi portrayed as she continued pummelling Kakuzu's vicious creature with a vengeance, a warrior-like aura of fearlessness radiating from her entire being. By the time Kurotsuchi dealt the last blow, the Water Mask had been smashed into smithereens, its deathly throes as silent as the gentle waves rippling across the water surface.

Ever vigilant, Tenten observed that the Fire and Wind Masks were hovering a distance away as they witnessed the destruction of yet another counterpart, probably taken aback by the success of these bold assailants. With that, she inhaled deeply and heaved a sigh of relief, the exertion of the past few minutes having sent adrenaline pumping throughout her young body. They had done it, she thought, feeling a surge of warmth untangle her nerves slightly. They had actually done it, and this time without a single swing of the Bashosen.

Thus, it came as a total shock to Tenten when, after getting to her feet and giving a victorious glee, with her brows still fiercely furrowed in the heat of battle, the Iwa kunoichi gave a sudden jolt, fell backwards and collapsed.


	18. Chapter 18

**Of Leafy Fans and Hearty Attacks (continued)**

Within scant minutes, everything had changed.

The lone figure took advantage of the temporary cover that the night sky provided, the moonlight obscured by several passing clouds. Having managed to slide down the precarious slopes before the plateau crumbled under the intensity of the elemental assault, the girl had joined the rest of the Alliance shinobi in the vicinity running for cover while the avalanche engulfed slower, injured, dazed or weakened bodies in its rocky descent. Her survival instinct had kicked into gear, and the kunoichi struggled valiantly to cast aside the overpowering remorse that was taking control of all her senses while she fled, tears of fear and desperation streaking down her blanched cheeks that must have been drained almost completely of blood.

"They… they must be okay… they must have escaped… before… before…"

The relentless fiery heat, its magnitude multiplied countless times by the winds, descended upon mere mortals and ghastly clones from mid-air, enveloping its helpless victims in a firestorm that once again raged across the beaten coast. With only two of his hearts remaining, the resurrected form of the once-noble ninja turned devious villain had flown into a frenzy, his green irises burning in a potent combination of distress, mortification and immeasurable contempt for one single individual amongst the thousands strewn all across the vast area.

Yamanaka Ino, having wrenched the iron cudgel from a fallen shinobi, had leapt into a rampage with the weapon, putting into good use the combat lessons she had picked up from her close friend back in Konoha against a small horde of Zetsu clones. At this moment, her attention was absorbed by the cataclysm that had imploded a few hundred metres away. Stunned, but still in her game, the Chunin concentrated on the last few clones in her way, coupling a few forceful swings of the cudgel with an array of kicks that sent her opponents sprawling into a heap. Ino turned quickly around to take in the scene unfolding across the waters all those hundreds of yards away… the mayhem across the waters was obviously ravaging the Allied forces once again. The blonde kunoichi felt her heartbeat accelerate as she tore across the beach in search of her teammates, the ordeal of the last time Team 10 faced Kakuzu's pernicious elemental masks creeping back in nerve-wrecking pulses.

The girl paused haltingly as a new fear took hold of her senses. Recalling a scene that she had noticed during the excruciatingly heart-wrenching battle with her Sensei, Ino reeled in sudden realisation that her pal was nowhere in sight, ever since she had a few fleeting glimpses of her in heated combat with the Lightning Mask. Exhaling an audible gasp, the blonde kunoichi quickened her footsteps in search of Shikamaru and Chouji, as a cold dread hit her in the stomach.

"Please be safe… please be … alive…"

The trio staggered backwards, taken aback by the ferocity of their opponent's attack with those crushing tentacles that were slamming the ground asunder. Giving his white spiked hair a cursory comb of his fingers, General Darui gripped his broad sword and exchanged grim looks with his two Konoha allies, who were obviously sharing the same fears that the girl who had aided them greatly in nullifying and exterminating the Earth Mask could have met her demise.

"It seems… it seems she managed to eliminate one more mask," Izumo's stricken eyes spoke volumes of his current emotions.

"The Water Mask," Kotetsu echoed, his voice seeming to have lost its bravado. "She took out the Water Mask at least." The young man straightened his shoulders and managed a slight, defeated smirk. "Good job, girl."

Darui's lazy eyes narrowed even further as the air currents carried over the heat of the fiery mass that they were compelled to witness, his glistening olive skin getting a sense of the catastrophe plaguing his troops. Closing his eyes for a moment, he mumbled an apology under his breath to yet another fallen comrade, his mind envisioning the way the coveted ninja tool of the Sage of the Six Paths could have utterly defeated the girl at the end. Having felt the effects of having his chakra drained by the other treasures earlier in the day, he silently thanked the Konoha kunoichi for her courage in continuing to wield the fan despite knowledge of the potential fatality, before turning back to her peers.

"Let's finish what she started and bring this bastard down."

The flustered man removed his red headscarf, exposing his jet-black mane, and wiped the blood and perspiration that seemed to have seeped out of his forehead at the same time. Shrouded in near darkness, his affinity to the earth told him that the landscape was undergoing yet another upheaval.

"The masks… they are attacking again," he managed a raspy croak.

His partner nodded calmly as he concentrated his energy on the task at hand moulding his chakra to his hands and washing it over the heavily bruised arm that he was healing. Without lifting his head, his brown eyes gleaming in the warm bluish glow emitting from his hands, he smiled weakly as he muttered, "She did it then… she managed to draw them away from us."

The youth slid heavily to the heated ground, cursing silently that they had to be holed up in their temporary sanctuary instead of lending a helping hand. He gazed forlornly at his comrade lying safely in the Earth dome he had fastidiously constructed, knowing that although this structure was sturdy enough to provide temporary shelter, they could not afford to hide in here for too long.

"Don't worry," his partner whispered softly, raising his glistening eyes to meet his own. "She… she'll be fine. She's managed to hold her own quite well."

"The whole bloody day!" he guffawed, shaking his head in mild disbelief as he took a deep earthy breath in, his massive chest heaving. "Damn that bastard… damn those freaking masks!"

The other man lowered his head as he detected movement in his patient's pupils behind her closed lids. Fully aware that his healing techniques were not advanced enough to treat his friend's wounds completely, he continued for one more minute before signalling for his teammate that they were ready to move. As the burly man scooped the red-clad kunoichi gently into his muscular arms, the latter, in her semi-conscious state, breathed out the name of an individual that was currently on her comrades' minds…

"Tenten…"


	19. Chapter 19

**Of Leafy Fans and Hearty Attacks (continued)**

"_Pathetic." _

_Her blonde opponent had spat cruelly at her face, her saliva mixing with the sheen of perspiration evident on her face. While her eyes were squeezed tightly shut, she could sense the sneer the triumphant teen must be wearing right now, the image of her piercing eyes dancing wildly in her mind. She managed a feeble wriggle, but her body refused to respond, her back now painfully arched over the other's fearsome fan. Biting her lower lip as she felt a forceful jerk, the pain in spine heightened by the jolt, and found herself soaring in mid-air. Forcing her heavy lids to open slightly, she detected a green figure racing towards her amidst the heaps of sharpened blades protruding upwards to pierce her useless body. Even as she landed safely in her teammate's arms, the girl's mind was reverberating with the last word her opponent had thrown at her in such a callous manner._

"_Pathetic."_

She could feel her heart in her throat as it continued pounding relentlessly, numbing her entire being with a revulsion that was threatening to cripple her senses. Her fringe was plastered to her forehead protector that had come loose, strands of her hair tickling her nape and cheeks, as she kept her face lowered and tasted the saltiness of the tears that seemed to be flowing uncontrollably out of half-shut lids.

The girl could not understand why such a buried memory had chosen this particular moment to resurface, as the taunting voice resounded loudly in her ears. The self-loathing she had felt back then had spurred her on to grow as a sound and mature individual who pursued her own path and techniques more fiercely than ever, even as she relished in the pleasures a young kunoichi could experience in her teenage years together with her peers during their free time. Now, however, the situation she was in seemed to only have brought back the pain she had felt all those years ago, and none of the catalytic impact that had accompanied it.

Distant screams floated into her eardrums and travelled rapidly into her mind, tempting it to whirl in such a disconcerting manner that the teen could no longer stifle the sobs that had been threatening to escape from her parched throat. All her earlier valour and efforts had been for naught, for the battlefield had once again been thrown into disarray with the alliance troops being cut down in stupefying numbers with each assault from those demonic creatures. She felt her surroundings rise in temperature as quickly as her own bile, knowing that the heat waves had travelled a great distance to reach her temporary sanctuary, as if mocking the girl for her utter and total defeat, for the fact that within moments, she had become prey to their greater prowess, for the reality that soon, their counterparts would easily be resurrected again and all her exertions would have added up to nothing.

As she shifted her aching legs slightly, the sight of the repulsive frond greeted her, the white structure remaining calmly oblivious of the calamity the Alliance was facing once again, the red tip of each leaf fluttering gently with the warm breeze. Her time with this malicious tool replayed in her confused mind again and again, the day's experiences haunting her with such fervour that she felt like retching.

"It's …too much… let the others handle it… I… I can't… I can't do it anymore…"

As she hugged her knees and retreated further, her back pushing back helplessly against the solid rock structure, the girl was reminded of the allies she had encountered in the short span of an afternoon and evening… of the frantic male leaping in front of a comrade to shield him from a vicious clone and plummeting to his death… of the general and her fellow village ninja tumbling over the edge of a cliff upon the plateau splitting apart… of a female warrior sent into frightful spasms after successfully taking out an adversary, her technique failing to keep her arm protected from the creature's demonic life force… of herself screaming at the two men to flee with their injured female comrade as she faced the remaining duo with a sinking feeling that she would not be able to succeed on her own.

Her earlier efforts to push herself forward with thoughts of the ones close to her seemed to have been drowned by the turmoil that was devouring her from her core. The moment she had swung the fan one more time, sending a powerful jet churning towards the fiery creature advancing towards her, the other mask had rendered her attack worthless with a simple gust causing her water summon to freeze in mid-air. Panicked, she had taken to her heels, simultaneously attempting to draw attention away from her fellow shinobi and feeling the desperation gnaw at her nerves as the impact of the swing had sent a familiar, sickening reminder to her gut. Within the next minute, the combined elemental onslaught had chilled her to the bone as it split the hill apart and the resulting avalanche of crushing rocks overtly took dozens of lives in the area.

"It's over…" she mumbled feebly, as yet another distant blast ignited a fresh set of frenzied cries that flooded the land. "It's hopeless… the fan… I can't use it anymore…"

"We have to help. Our fire techniques may help somewhat… with that wind one at least."

Her ears pricked as unfamiliar voices reached them; there was a pair of shinobi from the other side of the rock. Apparently, they must have retreated to this area to buy some time as well.

"You're injured… you took a bad hit on your back earlier," the female voice tried to reason, but within the next second, muttered quickly, "But you're right. We have to help."

"I love you."

She froze even as she tried not to eavesdrop further, refusing to let any other external factor influence her again. Her senses were tingling at this tender moment the couple was sharing, but it was the female's following words that caused her lips to part as she held her breath.

"I love you too… I just … I just wish we could have spent more time with our baby."

A momentary despondent silence ensued, and the sound of trembling lips locking for a few seconds was quickly followed by departing footsteps speeding away.

The girl gasped, the retreating footsteps sending a shiver down her spine. She took a few moments to register the sounds echoing from the distance and the voices of the strangers she had just encountered. Her eyelids fluttering as her mind replayed what she had heard in the preceding minute, the girl gulped down the lump in her throat, stared quietly at the fan lying harmlessly on the ground and raised herself to her feet unsteadily. Bending over, she felt her trembling fingers encircling the cold hilt once again as she lifted the Bashosen.


	20. Chapter 20

**Of Leafy Fans and Hearty Attacks (continued)**

"Retreat! Everyone retreat! Get out of the way!"

Darui's baritone rang amidst the chaos, choking slightly as his bulbous nose inhaled the smoky debris that had enveloped the area. He had entrusted the Konoha duo in handling Kakuzu for a few minutes after witnessing the Fire and Wind masks claim numerous lives with their continuous assault and rushed over to provide aid and take charge of his scattered troops. Having demolished yet another hill, the monsters had trapped many shinobi, the flames that had dispersed over the coastal area making it tough for the Jounin to free the men and women from underneath the fiery rubble.

"_Suiton_! Water Encampment Wall!"

The Kumo ninja released a wide fence of water from his mouth and increased the quantity of chakra to widen the range and strength of his technique in order to save as many lives as he could. Even then, he knew that he would not be able to save everyone, his eyes scouring over the vast area revealing numerous others trapped beneath burning rocks, reaching as far as more than two hundred metres away.

His heart skipped a beat as he caught sight of a lone figure bounding towards that area swiftly, and after catapulting herself into the air, summoning a voluminous flow of water that extinguished the flames within mere seconds. He watched with his mouth gaping and gut churning as the girl stumbled and landed on her right knee for a split second, before raising her head and staggering forward once again. Darui started to follow the young kunoichi but the cries for help in the vicinity stopped him in his tracks. Head spinning in a mixture of delight and fear, he gritted his teeth as he spied the departing figure mount treacherous slopes, knowing fully well who her targets were. Turning back to his responsibilities, he barked for soldiers to help free their comrades from their prison.

"Hang in there, Tenten! I'm sorry but I'll come as soon as I can!"

Mugi's face contorted in despair as he witnessed yet another plateau come apart under the duo masks' raging forces. Having brought Kurotsuchi to the Alliance medics for treatment together with Yabuza, he was now watching the calamity from afar, wondering where General Kitsuchi could be at the moment and if he should scout for him to handle those pesky masked elemental monsters. If they were not taken out soon, they would definitely be reaching this area in no time, and the medics and their injured charges would be in peril.

"Our _Doton_ techniques might not be able to take out those creatures," he mumbled to no one in particular. "But we can reduce the casualties, I'm sure."

Standing upright, he was just about to inform his partner of his plan when his heart almost stopped beating. A wave of delirious joy coursed through his veins as his keen eyes spotted a deceptively small figure flying towards the two black monsters from behind and sending one of them spiralling downwards with an elemental summon of her own.

"Yabuza!" he yelled, overcome by gleeful anxiety. "It's Tenten! She's alive! She's attacking the masks!"

His fellow Iwa comrade was beside him the next second, marvelling at the sight of the small speck, now vaguely visible having landed on the edge of a flattened cliff, facing a hovering mass of black. Even from here, he could sense the dauntlessness of the girl, and he felt his heart give a lurch.

"We have to help her, Mugi… Remember, she said she only had a few swings left in her. Come on!"

"Not without me, you won't!" Kurotsuchi's own eyes were gleaming in wonder as she took in the distant scent from just behind her friends, who were already starting to protest in bewilderment at her quick recovery. "Don't give me the crap about me needing to rest. Tenten's done more than she should to help us so let us not be wimps now! Let's go!"

The towering figure recoiled in terror as he spun around, having detected that his Fire Mask had been temporarily repelled by an impetuously effective _Suiton _technique. His eyes bulged in unadulterated astonishment and his tentacles flailed in utter disbelief.

"No… The girl… That weapons girl! She's still… she's still wielding the Bashosen!"

Following Kakuzu's flabbergasted glare, the two Chunin exhaled audible gasps of relief as they saw their fellow Konoha comrade standing tall at the edge of yet another elevated plateau. Izumo gripped Kotetu's forearm as he stared, wide-eyed; a second later, his partner's hand returned the squeeze to his in celebration.

"I can't believe what I'm seeing," he mumbled, wide-eyed, as the girl's spiralling scrolls took to the air and regurgitated their contents from within.

"Snap out of it," Kotetsu grinned as he gently pushed his friend's fingers away. "She's doing her job, let's do ours and keep this imbecile down."

Ino swept her fringe from her eyes, her pupils dilated. Air-borne together with Shikamaru on Chouji's gigantic hand, she watched in rapt fascination as the clanging of weapons reached her ears, almost missing her friend's words.

"Her weapons… I didn't know she could do that!" Chouji's voice boomed.

"It may one of her last moves. Chouji, hold back. We… we can't get in her way. Stand by though. You may need to follow her attack."

Ino's heart fluttered as the gravity of Shikamaru's words sank in. While she wanted to ask him to clarify what he meant, she could tell from his narrowed eyes that his ingenious mind had already calculated what had been occurring and from his dour expression, she could sense his own anxieties for their friend. As Ino turned back to watch her friend launch this visually overwhelming attack, she prayed fervently that her teammate's words would not ring true.

"Oh Tenten… please be safe… please… stay safe…"

"_Sogu… Tenjin Ranmen_."

Refusing to falter despite energy being sapped from her entire body, the young kunoichi closed her eyes and breathed deeply as the hundreds of projectile weapons hovered precariously in mid-air. Manipulating the wire-strings she had meticulously attached, Tenten stood rigid as her ninja tools veered and swerved past one another into position. The surrounding air was heavy with tension, the weight of these multifarious metallic blades threatening to collapse on whoever was within a radius of a hundred metres in front of this mind-blowing and breath-taking sight.

While earlier comrades like Darui, Kotetsu and Izumo would have witnessed Tenten's Manipulated Tools – Rain of Steel technique earlier in the middle of her scuffle with Kakuzu and the Earth Mask, this was vastly different. The myriad tools at the weapons specialist's disposal had now been manipulated to form the shape of a stupendous raptor, each blade carefully positioned to form the body, wings and tail of a bird of prey. While present onlookers would be overwhelmed by this unbelievable sight of such a multitude of weapons aligned in this shape, they might also know that they would be ineffectual against an elemental mask like Kakuzu's.

"_Katon. Hosenka._"

Her quivering arms managing one more swing, Tenten felt her heart give a painful lurch as soon as she finished the move, the Bashosen silently releasing flames that took the shape of an ethereal phoenix that now enveloped the entire air-borne metallic raptor. Fire met metal and as Tenten's expert fingers instructed each and every single red-hot metal blade to spin, an eerie silence filled her mind and she shut her eyes momentarily to focus.

As her brown eyes flashed open, Tenten sent the fiery blades shooting towards the Wind Mask that had tried to scurry back to its vile master. The speed of the kunoichi's raptor structure made this a vain attempt, as within seconds, the flaming mass of metal had soared through the black threads, the impact of hundreds of burning blades thrusting and drilling through its body causing the Wind Mask to melt its way into oblivion.

"She did it!"

In scattered areas near the plateau where the kunoichi was standing – some nearer, some further away -, her allies and friends were cheering almost in unison as they made their way towards her. Almost immediately after being utterly enthralled by Tenten's successful assault however, each and every single one of her on-looking comrades stopped dead in their tracks and watched, eyes stricken in horror, as the tiger-shaped Fire Mask rose from below the craggy precipice and appeared almost right in front of Tenten.


	21. Chapter 21

**Of Leafy Fans and Hearty Attacks (continued)**

A single flame could be detected flickering from the mouth of the mask, and amidst the bright moonlight, nine fleeting shadows burst into action at once, the heightened sense of urgency apparent in the astounding speed they took to perform their jutsus from all directions.

"_Suiton! Mizurappa!_"

"_Doton! Doryuheki!_"

"_Doton! Doseikiryu!_"

"_Suiton! Daidohan!_"

"_Magen! Kokoni Arazu no Jutsu!_"

"_Suiton! Mizuame Nabara!_"

"_Choharite!_"

"_Kage Nui no Jutsu!_"

"_Shintensen no Jutsu!_"

Among the trio nearest the nerve-wrecking scene, the maroon-clad female was the first to leap into the fray, propelling herself towards the mass of black threads and performing hand seals of Dragon Tiger Rabbit, commanding her mouth to expel a jet of water from behind the creature. Taking the form of a trumpet, the water attack splashed squarely against the back of the Fire Mask, causing smoke to rise immediately from its woven threads.

Her male comrades worked in unison with their Earth Techniques, with the leaner man's hand seals summoning a dragon made of earth and stone to scale the air and whizz towards the elemental mask. Following his female peer's Water Trumpet technique, the youth's forceful assault caused the creature to vacillate unsteadily in mid-air momentarily, buying his burlier partner sufficient time to focus his attention on his tedious technique. Diverting all his available chakra to his palms which were now pressing against the rocky ground, the man's muscled arms flexed and twitched, his exertions summoning a solid wall of chakra-infused rock to rise mystically right in front of the one they had sworn to defend.

Having quickened his pace and navigated the air currents expertly, the olive-skinned general observed the Iwa shinobi's varied techniques and took heart that the girl seemed to be out of immediate danger. Without further ado, he followed them hastily with his own _Suiton_ move, his jutsu taking the form of an enormous canon ball that catapulted across the distance and rolled itself savagely against the mass of black threads, tearing them asunder and causing the Fire Mask to emit an ear-piercing screech that floated into the windy night.

While the Fire Mask was kept busy by long-range assailants, two Chunin-level shinobi took the opportune moment to carry out their task. His nose wriggling slightly under the strip of bandage running across its bridge, the first spiky-haired male finally had the chance to perform his Demonic Illusion: False Surroundings Technique to trap his adversary in a genjutsu. Even though he knew that he would not be able to maintain the illusion for more than a few scant seconds on such a well-versed opponent, his aim was to provide ticking seconds for his comrades to move. His brown-haired partner moved in a blur as he somersaulted into the air and establishing a quick Ram Tiger hand seal, spat out charka-infused viscous water that blanketed the ground the towering figure was momentarily caught in. The _Suiton _technique immobolised the villain as he was freeing himself from the genjutsu, causing him to seethe in fury at losing precious seconds to eliminate the girl who had become a pest and eyesore to him since his resurrection. Before he could react further, however, a glowing colossal clenched fist, fuelled with the owner's impressive chakra, appeared instantaneously and rammed itself hard on his fortified body, crushing it savagely under its weight and splattering his tentacles all over.

As his gigantic teammate took care of the zombie, the descendent of a clan highly regarded for its astoundingly intelligent and strategic members knelt on the ground and performed his clan's infamous Shadow Sewing ninjutsu. Taking advantage of the bright moonlight, the teen directed shadows from all over to materialise near the demonic mask and its greatly enervated body, binding it in mid-air and rendering the woven threads immobile for the moment. He quickly transformed the shadows into sharp needles, restraining the black threads further.

The slight smirk on the Chunin's face vanished instantly, as did the triumphant expressions on the other assailants' faces, when the Fire Mask, amidst its struggles, managed to hurl a small fireball towards its intended target. The intensity and speed of the attack, coupled with the fact that it was at such close range, shattered the rock wall formed by the Iwa youth and upon contact with the ground, erupted into a fiery storm, its ignited flames travelling speedily across the plateau and burning everything in their path into blackened crisps.

Eight voices arose amidst the blazing inferno, each hollering the same two similar syllables, filled with hysterical despair that all their attempts to save the teen girl had been futile.

"_You have to let me go."_

"_I can't… I can't let you do it. Even now in your body, I can feel how weak you are! Please, just let me get you to safety and we'll…"_

"_My friend… please. I have to do this. Just like how you had to deal with the Tailed-Beast earlier, despite the odds."_

_The stricken girl froze… hesitant, wavering and extremely afraid as she knew in her sinking heart that her friend was right. She stifled a sob and mumbled an almost inaudible "Okay", quivering in cold fear and desperation._

"_Thank you. Please perform a Kararimi no Jutsu and let me re-appear where my weapons are. I'll take it from there."_

_Just as she felt the fiery torrent blast the rock wall apart, the girl followed her friend's appeal and sent them both, still in the same body, to hover in mid-air just behind the fiery mass of metal._

"_Thank you, my dear friend. And Ino… in case I don't make it… please… please tell… tell everyone I love them."_

Ino gave a piteous cry as she found herself back in her own inert body, stunning Shikamaru whose face was covered in a sheen of perspiration and fresh tears.

"Ino! What happened? Did you manage…"

"Tenten…she's … barely… barely…" the blonde's forlorn expression and grief-stricken sobs bewildered the Naru youth further.

"Look!" Chouji exclaimed, his right fist still rammed hard on Kakuzu's disgruntled form. "In the air!"

By now, the others had also noticed that despite the blazing destruction on the plateau where Tenten had been kneeling, the fiery metallic raptor she had summoned to annihilate the Wind Mask was still hovering above, a mere hundred metres away from the Fire Mask that had turned to face its steadfast enemy. As the night wind picked up, the dancing flames surrounding the metallic blades and those raging behind the masked creature blazed even stronger, their crackles and sizzles the only sounds emitted around the area, the atmosphere strangely serene despite the potential fatalities that this final match might bring.

"She… she's going to use the fan," Izumo whispered as he dropped to his knees, grabbing onto Kotetsu's wrist. "Don't… don't let her use the fan…"

While Ino and Chouji remained deadly pale and utterly stricken, Shikamaru, from this crumbling form of his Konoha _Senpai_, quietly nodded, his deductions about the ninja tool that his peer was wielding confirmed. He turned back to take in the scene, and swallowed the throttling lump in his throat as he witnessed his friend raise the fan.

"No!" Mugi roared, struggling against his trembling partner who was restraining him. Kurotsuchi sniffled as her tears fell, biting her lower lip in vain hope that everything would be fine. General Darui who now stood beside her, wore a similar look of despondence, but kept his eyes peeled and stance ready, ever willing to back the girl up despite knowing the outcome.

Tenten stared at the mass of black threads silently, watching the Fire Mask to see if it was going to soar up towards her or launch an attack from afar. She felt her dry lips curve upwards slightly, sensing its fear even from such a distance away. Her heartbeat had accelerated beyond anything she had experienced before, even though she strangely felt very little fear of what was about to come. The turmoil that her mind and body had been thrown into in the past hours seemed to have been totally vanquished, for a sense of serenity was now radiating from her core, numbing every fibre from her head to the tip of her toes. Despite all the upheavals of the day and the trauma that she had been put through, she now looked at the Bashosen she was holding on to with both hands gratefully. A tinge of regret sparked as images of all her friends, old and new, flashed in her mind, Neji's face lingering the longest, but within the next moment, she knew she was ready for what Fate had planned for her on this day.

It was time.

With the first wave, torrents of water coursed through the metallic structure and extinguished the roaring flames, while the second that followed within mere seconds produced gentle, cooling gusts that caused the earlier elemental summon to freeze. Formerly a raptor of fiery intent, the metallic blades were now entrusted in shiny ice, each now resembling a gleaming icicle sharp enough to pierce through flesh.

"_Sogu_. _Hyoso Tensensai_."

With a weakly muttered command, Tenten's mind whirled violently as she could barely watch her own Manipulated Tools: Ice Spears Heavenly Chain of Destruction technique at work. Breaking formation from the raptor, the ice-blades launched themselves towards the Fire Mask, their blinding speed making them appear as white streaks raining down on their sole target. Retreating limply, the demonic mass of threads was brutally impaled by the dozens of weapons piercing through manically, its tiger-shaped mask unable to even utter its guttural roar before it splintered into frozen pieces, its day-long reign of terror finally ended in its icy purgatory.

With bated breath, the girl's friends remained silent, watching her still hovering in the air… hoping, praying, pleading.

Two seconds after the fiendish demon's ruthless destruction, the stone-cold figure swooned and plummeted from mid-air, her hand aberrantly still holding on to the fan. 


	22. Chapter 22

**A Friend in Need**

**She watched on haplessly, as her friend fell.**

"_Hi, I'm Tenten. Are you visiting your friend as well?"_

_Young Yamanaka Ino lifted her blonde head to find a Chinese-looking girl, hair sloppily braided into drooping buns, standing a mere metre away from her, holding on to a bunch of wilting wild flowers one would find around the training fields. From the looks of it, it seemed as if she had not slept well for nights – dark bags hung heavily around her tired eyes and her clothes were stained in patches by dirt and grass. Still, a familiar face was a familiar face, and she was making an attempt to make conversation in the dimly lit corridor of Konoha's medical centre. Blinking slightly at the unexpected company, Ino managed a polite smile and got up from the dusty bench she had been sitting on for hours. A glance at the clock revealed that she had spent the whole night wallowing outside the ward, apparently quite different from what her new companion had been doing within the last few hours. _

"_I'm Ino. Yamanaka Ino, of the Yamanaka clan."_

_She felt her face redden almost immediately when her own words registered in her mind – had she said them too arrogantly… too haughtily? Her own mind and body were drained of energy as well, not in the same way the girl's were due to the physical exertions at the training fields, but the stress of what had developed in the past few days had certainly taken its toll. Her friend and rival Haruno Sakura, had dropped a bomb on her when she told her what had happened to her beloved Uchiha Sasuke, and with her teammate Akimichi Chouji now grievously injured in an attempt to rescue Sasuke, her mind was in a whirl indeed. _

_An awkward silence ensued, but the girl recovered in moments and plopped herself roughly on the bench, heaving a sigh as she dropped the flowers carelessly beside her. _

"_Serves them right for leaving us out of all the fun, huh?"_

_Ino turned abruptly to face the brunette, who was now wearing the same weak smile she had put on earlier. In her shimmering eyes, now glistening with tears, she could see the same pain and guilt that she had been shouldering ever since Chouji's beaten body, barely alive, was discovered and brought back by a retrieval team. Swallowing the lump in her throat as she sat herself back down, she placed her hand on her new friend's, and whispered comfortingly, "They'll be fine. Chouji… and your Hyugga teammate… they'll both be fine."_

_Tenten had returned her gesture with an equally warm squeeze, and for the next hour, Ino basked in this unexpected encounter, one that ignited a blossoming friendship filled with mutual respect, admiration and trust over the following years. _

"_I've no talent in medical ninjutsu," the pink-clad girl had sighed, her voice wavering a little in disappointment. "I literally cooked a fish alive while trying! I was told I had absolutely no aptitude for it. But you should go ahead and train in it, Ino, since you've been accepted by the Medical Corps. I'll give you my full-hearted support!"_

_Ino straightened her shoulders and managed, surprisingly, to give a confident nod in agreement. These confusing days, filled with a new kind of fear and danger that she had never experienced in her fourteen years in Konoha, had given birth to many youthful aspirations and resolutions among the village's young ninja, and Ino was determined not to be left out in her peers' pursuit of honing their skills and increasing their repertoire. That early morning however, what she was most resolute about was to replace the dying flowers her gangly friend had recklessly plucked from the fields, with sprightly blossoms from Yamanaka Flowers. Despite the older girl's vehement protests, Ino dragged her home for a much-needed shower and rest, before making her way arm-in-arm with her new friend and two variegated bouquets back to the hospital later in the afternoon. _

**She leapt forward, past her gaping comrades, fear running through her lithe body.**

"_Here, this is for you."_

_Ino's eyes glowed as she received the gleaming blade with obvious thrill running through her body. It was the day right after she had officially become a Chunin, and had rushed over to Tenten's apartment after Asuma Sensei had bestowed traditional earrings to her and her teammates. As a reward and congratulatory gift, Tenten had just placed a _tanto_ in her outstretched palms but before she could even breathe out a word of gratitude, Ino gave a loud gasp as she witnessed the other girl lift a cumbersome looking green scroll, with nary a sign of exertion, and secure it to the back of her waist with leather straps. _

"_Tenten! What's… what's going on? What in the world is that?"_

"_This? Oh it's nothing," Tenten was obviously not taking any notice of Ino's wide-eyed bewilderment. "I'm testing this new scroll out. The smaller scrolls can't fit as many weapons as I would like to, and lately, I've been increasing the amount of blades and ninja tools at my disposal. Come on, let's not waste such a great afternoon. Lee and Neji are off sparring somewhere, and you need to practise using your new _tanto_."_

_Before Ino could follow her friend out of the doorway, Tenten turned around and winked, "I got that off a militia soldier that I took out the other day. Apparently, it's a brand new blade… quite fitting for a new Chunin like yourself!"_

**She felt her lungs almost bursting as she yelled the names of her teammates, the oxygen debt accumulated in her calves doing nothing to slow her strides.**

"_So what if she's grown by leaps and bounds? So have you!"_

_Tenten was now wearing a scowl as she glided over a few more branches. Ino bit her lower lip, knowing that she had touched on a sore topic for her friend. Normally, she would be able to share her insecurities about Sakura, her cherished childhood friend yet bitter rival, with the girl she had long regarded as an older sister, but sometimes Tenten would be bluntly reminded of how the pink-haired girl was a star apprentice of her idol, the Fifth Hokage Tsunade. As she soared through the air, falling slightly behind Pakkun, Shizune, Rock Lee and Tenten, Ino lowered her gaze as yet another wave of self-doubt washed over her. They were on their way as the second wave of support for Kakashi and Team 8, and had been initially excited about this mission, looking forward to working together with their Konoha peers. Ino had implored to Tenten to fill her in more about the Rescue Kazekage mission with the rest of Team Guy and Team 7, and had been filled with much awe and a weird sense of envy when her friend informed her about how she had managed to take down one of the Akatsuki organisation's most dangerous members, with the aid of the late Lady Chiyo. _

"_The thing is, Ino," Tenten's voice softened as the brunette fell back to keep pace, "We've all grown in our own ways. We… we just have to keep doing our best. That's the way, isn't it? To just continue doing our best."_

_Under the blazing sun, on top of the glittering surface, the blonde's self-doubt and uncertainty rose to gargantuan portions as she struggled to focus again on the Four Barrier Seal. The sudden appearance of a gigantic pink crystal dragon, courtesy of the rogue Otogakure kunoichi Guren, had caused Ino to lose control, panic overtaking her for a split second that was unfortunately sufficient for the four-man Seal to be broken. As Captain Shizune's cry of urgency and outrage rang in her head, she tried her best to regain her composure and keep her mind fixated on the humungous turtle beast in the middle of the barrier._

_Out of the corner of her eye, she spied both Lee and Tenten continue to battle the woman of such an exquisite and unique Kekkai Genkai. They had fought her tirelessly for the past half-hour, with the both of them flying around the mysterious apprentice of the dreaded Orochimaru. Guren seemed to be deflecting Lee's blows and Tenten's kunai and shurikens easily, the metallic clinks against the enemy's armour of crystallised skin never changing into the almost silent stabbing or piercing of flesh. Despite the appearance of the dragon, Ino saw that their current protectors never wavered in their steely determination. She knew that her pal was holding back even as she saw her unseal a flying ball of fire that burnt Guren's forearm slightly, leaving a blackened smear of scorched flesh. After all, if Tenten was to unleash the myriad tools she held in her scrolls, she might hurt her comrades in the middle of the chaos. With renewed vigour and tenacity, Ino channelled more of her chakra reserves into the Barrier, hoping against hope that this daunting mission might become successful._

**She felt her teammate's gigantic hand grab her and launch her into the air within the blink of an eye.**

"_I'm sorry… I'm sorry for your loss."_

_It was a rainy day during Asuma Sensei's funeral, just like how the heavens had opened their water gates when he died. Stricken by his death and the horrifying encounter with Akatsuki's demon-like Immortal Duo, Ino was wallowing in self-depreciation, seeking solace in her friend's arms after her Sensei's burial. Her voice quivered as she shared the relentless prowess of Kakuzu and his elemental demonic masks, and the deep-rooted guilt had brought about many waves of hot tears amidst her grief._

"_But frankly, I'm sick of you blaming yourself all the time."_

_Ino's heart almost skipped a beat, her mind registering the hauntingly sharp words spat out with such … cruelty, such… malice. Her whole body froze as her sobs ceased abruptly, and she raised her head from Tenten's tear-soaked shoulder._

"_Ino, I love you like a sister," the kunoichi's voice took a much softer tone now that she had viciously captured her friend's attention, "but you have to stop beating yourself up. You told me how skilful that monster was. You told me how harrowing it was to face him with the others. You told me how the rest… Naruto, Kakashi-Sensei, Yamato-Sensei… helped to take him out. But I hate it… I hate it when you put yourself down… calling yourself useless."_

_Her heartbeat accelerated as the older girl knelt in front of her and held her hands gently, yet firmly. How could she? Was she not her friend? Was she not supposed to be comforting her at a time when she was suffering from so much pain… so much loss? Why was she mouthing all these words, words that were finding her way to prick her heart even more? The heat rose to her cheeks as she bristled but just before she yanked her hands away, Tenten mumbled, "I felt this way… when I was beaten by Temari."_

_It was a topic that Ino had never brought up, because it had seemed so insignificant to her. That battle had been a quick and easy one for the Suna wind manipulator, and many had assured Tenten that she had lost because it was a bad match-up between Temari's wind prowess and her own repertoire. The brusque words that were forming at the back of her throat died, as she caught sight of Tenten's flushed cheeks – it must have been a painful topic, for it to surge once again to the surface after all these years._

"_I felt… utterly useless back then… and it didn't help that Neji… and Lee… got hurt while trying to rescue Sasuke… a mission that I… we… had been deliberately left out. Sure, we all know that Shino, Sakura and Hinata were not involved as well, but… I… when I heard how Temari helped Shikamaru take down that Sound Ninja girl, the shame… the guilt… it was overwhelming."_

_The blazing eyes that Ino had summoned in retaliation to her friend's earlier words had disappeared, and she felt her olfactory cells give a weird squeeze to her beautifully moulded nose as she recalled the similar emotions she had had back then. _

"_But the morning I saw you at the hospital, outside Chouji's ward… I recognised you immediately… and I saw in you… the same pain I felt… that look of desolation… that sense of failure. When I saw you on that bench, I remembered what I told Neji when we were watching your match with Sakura at the first Chunin exams when we all met. I told him that it didn't matter if it was a man or woman in battle. And it hit me at that moment, that I had been beating myself up for the wrong reason. They'd not left me out because I was a kunoichi, nor you, nor Hinata or Sakura. We were left out because we were not strong enough. We would have been liabilities to them and required their protection, instead of rendering the assistance they needed. Not because we were girls, but simply because we were not skilled enough."_

_Ino could not believe what she was hearing. The kindred spirit that she had found that morning in the hospital had indeed been a source of solace, but never had she mouthed these words out loud to her all this time. The older girl whom she admired for her proficiency with ninja tools, her taijutsu skills, her confidence, her sense of righteousness, her courage… had held such deeply rooted insecurities as well back then._

"_That's why… although I may seem to be harsh with Lee and Guy Sensei at times, because they're so… overly enthusiastic and sadistic when it comes to training, I know… I know that I want to improve… I want to get better… I want to excel in what I do best. So that if ever, such a need arises again, I know that I won't be left out."_

**She felt her own fingers forming the ever-familiar hand-seals of her clan, as her teammate's own clan techniques wrapped their dark shadows around her body to keep her body safe.**

"_Kibaku Kunai!"_

_Ino felt the snake-like tentacles holding on to her fair, toned legs splatter all over their own bloody mess as her friend's explosive-tagged kunai found their way to zoom in and detonate, freeing her Konoha peers from their restrains. As her comrades propelled themselves ahead in pursuit of Naruto and Sakura, Ino managed to sneak a glance as she did a graceful mid-air twirl – she gave a grateful nod as their eyes met, before Tenten landed on a broad branch next to Neji and Lee, facing their slimy enemy._

_She felt a strange sense of pride when Kiba and Chouji gave low whistles – Tenten had just sent a half-dozen weighted chains that weaved themselves speedily over the chimera monster, the screeching impact rendering its frightful winds and explosive-like feathers temporarily harmless. As a fatigued Shikamaru moved ahead with the mission, the rest had to stay behind to entrap this monstrosity. Standing next to Tenten as she channelled her own chakra to the chain she was holding on to, Ino shared how her Shintensen technique had failed to hold Hiruko's henchman prisoner for long and thus, he had formed this chimera creature with his comrades. _

"_Doesn't matter, you tried your best," her friend gritted and clenched her teeth as she gave her chain a hard tug to bring a wing back down. "Makes it easier for us now, with all three of them trapped like this... in this… freak show."_

"_Yes, at least this time I took over his mind faster, at least two seconds faster than the last guy I took," Ino replied with an impish grin. "By the way, the guys were quite impressed with the way you summoned your chains!"_

_Later, after the chimera monster was summoned back by Hiruko, and they were rushing against time to reach their comrades, Neji was giving instructions on how to carry out their attacks. Ino gave a slight grimace when she realised she and Shino had been left out of his plan, but Tenten chimed in almost at once, as if sensing her friend's palpable discomfort._

"_Ino, use Shintensen to hold the monster in its place if you can! I'll need that backup while I get all my Kibaku Kunai ready to attack!"_

_A sense of dread filled the Konoha youths as they approached, the gloomy skies darkening even further with stormy clouds ravaging the heavens. The ground exploded as they saw their three friends scampering desperately for safety. A split second was required for Ino to focus on her friend's location, and as soon as she saw her pink-haired friend in danger of being overcome by crushing rocks, she sped forward, grabbed her forcefully and performed a successful Kararimi no Jutsu, bringing Sakura out of harm's way._

_In the next minute, the Konoha youths rallied together, attacking the chimera monster in successive attempts. Ino's eyes gleamed as she saw Lee send a dynamic kick that sent the chimera crashing into some boulders. Even as Konoha's Blue Dragon yelled the name of his female teammate while turning a somersault and still suspending in mid-air, she heard her own name being called out. Eyebrows furrowed, blue eyes piercing, arms outstretched, fingers forming an all too familiar sign, Yamanaka Ino was now, and forever, always ready to aid her peer, her sister, her friend._

"**SHINTENSEN NO JUTSU!"**


	23. Chapter 23

**Part 5: First Aid, Second Base, Third Degree**

"_Where… where's my ninja tool? Where's the Bashosen?"_

"_You've been told not to use it anymore. Stop whining!"_

"_I wasn't… I'm not… I was so good with it!"_

Her eyelids fluttered open. In the haze of her disturbing dreams, she thought she had heard a muffled cry of pain. Seconds later, a similar sound was heard. The girl clenched and unclenched both her fists. Good, her strength had returned, though not totally.

The moon was high up above in the sky, casting its dim rays over the cliffs, entering the medical tent via its flapping doorway. Tenten knew that something was wrong, and remained frozen, her back still aching uncomfortably, largely due to the huge strain the chakra drain had taken on her body but partly because of the jagged pebbles poking mercilessly into her shoulders at the moment. Her instincts took over once her ears pricked once again at yet another muffled sound. Any normal shinobi would realise that something was up, but Tenten's area of expertise told her that in that fleeting second, the air had been sliced as a blade was driven into someone's abdomen at a ninety-degree angle. Her mind reeling, she shut her eyes quickly, careful not to make it evident that she was already awake.

What was going on? Before she had slipped into slumber, her dreams largely replaying the scenes that had taken place earlier in the day when she had been in possession of the Bashosen, she had been placed under the care of several Alliance medics. Even when the gigantic monster of rock had stomped over the beach for those few minutes, she had been safe, well protected by a group of shinobi's ability to generate an invisible, protective force-field over the injured put in the care of the medic team.

"You're awake, little girl. There's no need to act."

Tenten rolled away quickly, away from where the threatening voice was coming from, out into open air – it was quite fortunate that she had been placed near the rear exit of the tent, which however was located quite a distance away from the main tents. Her fingers curved quickly over her scrolls still thankfully locked in her holster belt, but her knees buckled painfully as she rose to her feet.

"It's useless, little girl." The moonlight was revealing a group of four men who had followed her out, looming just a few metres away, hiding their faces that were obviously wearing devilish sneers. "A few seconds of pain, and it'll all be over. You might have saved us all with that fan of yours, but no one's here to save you now."

The medics! The killers were the medics! Her mind reeling and spiralling out of confusion, Tenten felt her back touch the cliff wall. Instantly, the four men leapt at her, brandished blades flashing in the moonlight, threatening to reach her in mere seconds, seconds that she would need to unfurl her scrolls to summon the weapons that she would need to defend herself in this weakened state.

With a roar, the first man catapulted himself into the air, as if dying for a gloriously vicious attack with his battle-axe. Before she could do anything, Tenten felt her own feet moving, her body suddenly coming alive as she retaliated with a series of well-placed kicks to the man's rock-hard stomach. In those few precious seconds, her attackers, suddenly taken aback by the renewed vigour of this weak 'little girl' who had almost succumbed to the effects of the leaf fan, immediately stopped in their tracks at the sight of their fallen comrade.

It took just a few seconds of racing up the cliff wall for Tenten to acknowledge the presence in her mind.

"Ino! Thank goodness! I thought I was done for!"

"I reached you just in time!" came her friend's melodious timbre.

"Ino, get out! Those medics would find out you're just a distance from here! They've gone mad and will harm you!"

"They're not the medics, Tenten, they're Zetsu clones! I'll explain later, dear. In a few seconds, I'll leave your body but I'll be taking over their minds this time. Will you be ready with your weapons?"

Tenten gave the affirmative, remembering how she and Ino had trained and worked out this system against the boys in one of the most intensive training sessions days before they were activated and divided into the different divisions. True enough, as soon as she reached the edge of the low cliff, she felt Ino's presence leave.

With a sudden burst of energy, Tenten spun around to face the medics, all four having recovered from their initial shock and were now making their way up the wall. She managed a wry smile, appreciating Ino's natural speed and agility as they had clearly shaved off a precious few seconds from the ticking clock. Just as quickly, the four men stopped abruptly in their tracks, their facial expressions displaying an utter lack of coherence of what was happening. Ino's prowess was working wonders, but Tenten was now ready to end this despicable turn of events. Taking a quick intake of breath, the kunoichi summoned her anger along with her spiked explosive kunai grenades. The next few moments saw the girls working in perfect unison - Ino leaving all four bodies right before the four grenades pierced right into the Zetsu clones and as they fell helplessly downwards, Tenten detonating her gruesome weapons, the kunai tearing their bodies apart as they flew in all directions.

"Thank you, for saving my life once again, Ino. That's the third time in twenty four hours."

Apart from saving Tenten, Ino had saved dozens of others injured and put in the care of the poor medics who had unfortunately been killed by the Zetsu clones Tenten and Ino had taken out. The whole division was now in a frenzy, nervous that their comrades they were standing next to could be the enemy in disguise. Having brought Tenten to the medical tents for treatment earlier, Ino had rushed to the area once the troops had received news of the enemy's infiltration.

"I can't believe it…" Tenten's voice dropped to a whisper. "Those… those poor medics…"

Ino's eyes softened as her friend lowered herself on the ground, slightly stunned by the revelation that the men who had saved her life had in turn lost their own. The blonde heaved a heavy sigh, lifting her head to the starless night sky. Her own mind was in a whirl; while her own powers had worked well throughout the endless battle the whole day, her emotions had almost taken a toll when she had had to help take out her own Sensei with the rest of Team 10.

"Asuma Sensei..." Tenten's whisper diverted Ino's gaze. "You had to fight and take out Asuma Sensei, didn't you, Ino? Are you okay?"

Ino's shoulders gave a slight shudder as she joined her friend on the hard, rocky ground. The tension built up in her body for the past few hours really needed to be eased, especially when she had been using her Shintensen jutsus so extensively in one day. As she finally succumbed to the stresses while she recalled her fight alongside Shikamaru and Chouji against their beloved Sensei, Ino basked in the comfort of Tenten's nods and kind words, grateful that she could finally voice her own discomforts at having had to face one so dear to her, even when she had had to adopt the 'greater good' attitude with Chouji just hours before in order to get the job done and their master sealed.

"You were really brave, Ino," Tenten now patted her back reassuringly. "I'm not sure if I would have been as courageous as you if I were in the same situation, frankly. I can't imagine… if Guy-Sensei… or Lee … or you… or Neji…"

Tenten's voice trailed off, suddenly very aware that any one and every one of her loved ones was still in danger in the face of the White Zetsu clone army and warriors resurrected by the unorthodox Edo Tensei technique. She recalled Hiashi-sama going up against Hizashi, Neji's father, and asked Ino what had happened between them.

"That… that's a relief…" Tenten finally managed a smile. "I was so worried that somehow, Neji would have had to face his own father on the battlefield. I mean, I know he's far away in Division 2… but what's been happening today has just subverted everything that I know or believe in…"

"You care a lot for Neji, don't you?" Ino beamed, hugging her knees tightly and resting her head on them. "The two of you… You have a special bond."

Tenten felt the heat rise to her cheeks and the butterflies flutter in her taut belly. Her eyes widened at Ino's question, caught off guard by such a sensitive and personal query out of the blue. They were in the middle of a heated battlefield, surrounded by corpses cluttered all over the area, and her buddy wanted to know about her feelings for Neji now?

"Oh come on, my dear," exclaimed Ino, managing a throaty laugh. "Everyone could tell the way you reacted that night to being separated from Neji the day we received our division listings."

Awkwardly, but in a manner as calm and collected as possible, the older girl confessed that she had been carrying a torch for her teammate for a while, but had never acted on it. The two girls went on with this topic for just a few minutes, but it was enough to ease the mood slightly. Then their tone turned serious again when Ino asked about the weapon Tenten had been wielding earlier, the fan that had brought down Kakuzu's treacherous elemental heart demons, the ninja tool that had almost cost the Team Guy kunoichi her young life.

"I saw you summon fire and ice with it!" Ino now gave a low whistle. "How on earth did you manage to do that?"

"I… I'm not sure, actually." Tenten lowered her chin and felt her body tremble slightly, now her turn to manage her emotions as she recollected the day's fights. She revealed how she had realised the toll it took on her chakra levels once she had managed to activate the weapon's prowess, but had been forced to continue using it.

"I tried… I tried using my other weapons at those monsters, I really did, Ino. But you saw those things… how terrifying they were with all those elemental powers. Normal weapons wouldn't have worked on them, and all my Kibaku attacks were simply delaying them slightly, allowing some soldiers to escape."

"You did what you had to do," Ino shook her head at her friend's obvious distress at the recollection of her near-fatal experience. "You're the brave one, Tenten! You took out Kakuzu's hearts! I'd faced them before back when … back when we went after him… back when he was alive. It took Kakashi-Sensei and Naruto all their abilities to vanquish them… and you did it with that fan, even though you were putting your own life in danger. But… how? How did you manage to activate its powers?"

Tenten gave a tentative shrug, her mind calming down in the presence of another as close as Ino. For the better part of the day, she had had to plough through the Zetsu army mostly on her own or with a few other comrades, taking the clones out with her weapons and taijutsu skills. Then those few moments with the leaf fan had seen her do the impossible… summon elemental attacks that were somehow capable of destroying Kakuzu's own elemental hearts.

"It… it called out to me." Ino noticed the quiver in the fellow Konoha kunoichi's voice. "That fan… it's an unusual weapon. I should never have been able to activate its elemental powers, Ino… but as I was grasping it and saw the first monster… the Lightning one… taking out so many of the shinobi soldiers… the fan… I just … I just knew what I had to do with it. That first swing… it simply helped to direct your Sensei's wind attack toward that Lightning monster and destroyed it!"

Tenten's voice rose in the cold, salty sea breeze that had now filled the air. She went on steadily with her recount, lifting herself up and facing the waves now crashing onto shore. Despite the wind stinging her eyes, she went on with barely a blink even as the tears started caressing the soft skin of her cheeks.

"The power it held… it called out to me," Tenten's voice was now filled with wonder and excitement, getting gradually stronger as the girl continued in astonished tones. "I … I never felt such power before, Ino! I'd never … never ever held a weapon as such. It was… it was terrifying, the way it was draining my chakra with each swing, but… it was glorious and wondrous at the same time! The power… the … the magic… it was amazing!"

She turned to face her now bewildered friend who had raised herself to her feet as well, taken aback by this sudden change in mood. Tenten caught a shimmer of fear and confusion in the blonde girl's sparkling blue orbs, and immediately caught a hold of herself. The leaf fan had served its purpose – allowing Tenten to save hundreds of lives from the terror of those elemental beasts. If she had not wielded it simply because of the fear of her own safety, scores of soldiers would have met their end on the treacherous cliffs.

"Well… it's all over now. It's a good thing this … Bashosen is now kept safely by the commanders, isn't it?"

Ino's statement was now spoken with evident caution and trepidation, the girl now taking a cautious step forward. Earlier on, when Ino had led her dazed, delirious friend to the medical corps after the Gedo Mazu rampage, Tenten had protested weakly, whining about how proficient she had been with the Bashosen, and how it was such a pity that this heavenly ninja tool had been taken away from her possession.

What the Yamanaka girl did not know, was that it had all been an act.

Tenten felt her shoulders tense up, slightly relieved that Ino had not perfected the ability to read minds yet. She tried to shake her head as convincingly as she could, hoping that her friend's naturally heightened senses due to her clan's abilities would not manage to catch the tremor in her voice. Tenten kept telling herself that she had stolen and sealed the Bashosen just in case they had to face yet another undefeatable threat, but even as her heartbeat accelerated in the face of lying to one of her closest friends in her home village, she knew that it was more than that. The few minutes of undeniable power, of wielding an unorthodox weapon in a way she had never known to be possible, had awakened something in her.

And it was not something that she liked.

"Tenten-san!"

The sudden, unexpected exclamation rescued Tenten from further inquiry. She recognised the owner of the voice, a male Chunin from the Suna village. The face that revealed itself showed one having suffered pain and trauma in the past few hours, the man obviously overcome by confusion and fear. Tenten's throat tightened as the young man approached from a distance away, his troubled expression giving way almost immediately to one of undisguised relief.

"You're safe! I thought for certain when I saw you fallen on the ground that…"

With a sudden spring to her step, Tenten sprinted towards the Chunin, and with a few deft movements, slit 'Kimuya's' throat with a well-placed kunai. Ino needed no further explanation as she leapt quickly into action as well, knowing that the Zetsu clones moved in small groups to take down unsuspecting shinobi and that this clone's comrades would not be far behind. True enough, five more figures revealed themselves from behind some rocks, once Ino trapped them in her Shintensen No Jutsu grip.

"I saw this man being cut down by you pieces of filth," spat Tenten, summoning two machetes that she now gripped firmly in her fists. "You guys attacked him when he was saving a comrade and his body plummeted all the way down the rocks! And now, you want to make use of his connection with me earlier in the day to take me down? You bastards!"

With that final bellow, the Chunin girl charged forward, the intensity of her fury giving Ino just one split second to transfer her mind back to her own body. Tenten shoved the first blade straight into the clone's ribs, before performing a quick flip, half spinning into the air and bringing the other machete down to behead it. Just as she propelled herself into the air to launch her machetes into the eyes of a second clone, Ino reached the third and swiftly kicked the spear out of its hands. By the time Tenten was done with her third victim using a spinning Fuma Shuriken that embedded itself into the forehead, Ino had ended the misery of the last clone, bringing her heel smashing right down into its neck in the middle of a crescent-moon kick and snapping it instantly.

"Let's get back to Shikamaru." Ino brushed the fringe away from her eyes, the physical exertion in the last minute bringing some colour to her face. "He'll know what to do with these troublesome clones. Come on."

As Tenten nodded and inhaled, preparing to follow her friend's trail, something caught her eye. She called out to Ino, telling her that she would be down at the beach in a minute. She managed a reassuring grin when she saw her pal hesitate slightly, the terror rising slightly in her throat as the flames crackled and rose behind her. Ino slid down the cliff a second later, and Tenten whirled around to take in the scene. True enough, the clone that had been taken out by the Fuma Shuriken was now burning, the flames dancing lazily in the night wind, the four razor-sharp blades glowing red - the one embedded in the clone's body glowing most intensely. A few metres away, the sight of another corpse encased in ice caused Tenten to tear her stricken gaze away from the burning mass. The blades of her machetes sticking out of the clone's chest and groin area were encrusted, the ice crystals hugging the cold metal firmly. Konoha's mistress of weapons stood shell-shocked, as the day's events exploded in her mind once again. Her weapons! Her weapons now possessed elemental properties!


	24. Chapter 24

**Part 5: A Friend in Need (2)**

"Over here! Come on, Tenten!"

As she slid down the slope, her calves feeling less of the strain that had built up due to her injuries, Konoha's weapon expert wore a look of apprehension, the past few minutes having brought a new sense of thrill, fascination and tons of new questions. The remaining troops were in an uproar, and she sensed an immense unease that had enveloped these beaches at western coast of the Land of Lightning. Commotions seemed to be arising everywhere, and she shuddered when she passed a pile of dead bodies near the water, evident that the Zetsu clones were creating havoc once again and bringing new forms of distress to the Shinobi Alliance.

She found her Konoha friends, and, despite the sense of urgency on Shikamaru's face, could not help giving the two male members of Team 10 a tight hug, whispering a heartfelt 'Thank you' to each of them. Chouji held her hands gently, shyly, as he stammered to find the right words, "I… I'm glad you're better, Tenten. We… we were so worried. What you did back there… it was…"

"We have no time for this, Chouji!" Shikamaru barked as he shook his head impatiently, his forehead covered by a film of perspiration in the heat of the night and the intensity of the situation. "Right now, we have to strategise how to handle those pesky clones. They could be among us as we speak, maybe a few metres away, or just right in front of us! Like…right now, Tenten could be a Zetsu clone herself!"

Tenten's eyes widened in mock astonishment, then stark amusement, and she tried to stifle an oncoming giggle – the Nara clan's young strategist was wearing an extremely perturbed look of exasperation, his knotted eyebrows complementing the narrow slits of his piercing eyes, his lips drawn tight to form a perpetual frown. She turned to look at her blonde friend who was similarly bemused by Tenten's reaction; it took just one simple arch of the older girl's eyebrow to send Ino into peals of laughter, her high-pitched timbre lost in the brash commands, yelps and bellows surrounding them. Shikamaru's eyes flashed in annoyance, before rolling themselves to the heavens as he shook his head again.

"Okay, okay, Tenten's not a clone," he sighed in resignation. "You know what I meant. C'mon girls, we have no time to lose."

With that curt reminder, the other three turned serious, although Tenten gave an appreciative exhalation – it felt really good to be in the company of her peers once again, despite the turmoil that was threatening them and their fellow shinobi. Shikamaru shared how the sensors had reported that Sakura had uncovered the truth of the Zetsu army's treachery, and how all over the land, the other divisions had been reporting their own troops being taken down unawares by the clones taking form of fellow shinobi soldiers.

"And based on what I heard," the teen now looked directly in Tenten's eyes as he hesitated for two seconds, "the clone that had tried to attack Sakura had taken the form of Neji."

She felt her breath catch in her throat as Shikamaru's words, spoken with such burning clarity, registered in her mind. It seemed as if the day's insane events, her trials and tribulations with the Bashosen, had all vanished from Tenten's train of thoughts once her fellow Chunin's words reached her ears. She swallowed and blinked as she felt her chest tighten, a new form of fear gripping her heart. Her relentless efforts for the whole day, as a foot soldier, as a lone wolf, as a wielder of a mystical treasure… now seemed to be all for naught, for the crushing reality of her teammate's possible demise knocked the breath out of her like a sledgehammer.

"Is he…" Ino's voice quivered as she watched the colour drain from Tenten's ashen face.

"We can't… we shouldn't assume that," Shikamaru exhaled, his sigh betraying the anxiety he felt. "After all, the clones are taking forms of shinobi who are still alive, but could have extracted their chakra in the midst of the battle."

Even though she wanted to find some solace in what had just been revealed, the tension in her rigid body failed to abate even for a moment. Before she could even voice one of the myriad questions flooding her being right at that moment, Shikamaru spoke her thoughts, stating that with Neji's ultimate defence modes, his Kaiten and Byakugan abilities, he should have been able to deflect the enemy's approach, unless he was overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of the clones. He lowered his gaze from Tenten's stricken expression as he continued to say that it was unlikely that Neji had been taken down so easily, and that with him were their fellow comrades – Hinata, Kiba and Shino, who would definitely have gone all out to ensure one another's safety.

"That is, if they could," the kunoichi managed a whimper, her voice cracking under the weight of her words. "Just like how… we… how you guys… saved me earlier…"

"And how you saved us all with that fan of yours," Chouji spoke assertively, having found his voice after these intense moments, the haunting realities of the war returning to their minds even though their cherished friends were so far away from them, all the way at the northern edge of the peninsula of the Land of Lightning. "We're all here to help one another, Tenten… not just our Konoha friends, but all the rest of our comrades."

Shikamaru gave a friendly smirk at his buddy's newly achieved confidence, his drastically enhanced abilities displayed throughout the day evidently playing a significant part. His grim demeanour returned when the girl he was facing took a few steps back and turned away from them, her reaction confirming what he had feared, that she would insist on this rash, reckless route.

"Kage Nui!"

Tenten's spun her head around, her irises blazing in confusion and rage. Her feet were now bound by the dark tendrils of shadow formed by the Nara boy's techniques. In swift retaliation, the kunoichi flung six shurikens with towards her 'captor', targeting the area where he was standing; the spinning blades forced Shikamaru to withdraw his shadows and leap back in self-defence, yelling Ino's name as he did so.

"Don't you dare!" the dark-haired girl's immediate bellow rooted the three teammates to the spots, with the blonde teen stifling an unexpected gasp that threatened to escape her lips. The ferocious glower on Tenten's face gave her an almost rapacious look, as if her friends were now her prey, as she unfurled her twin scrolls which she had fleetingly removed from her belt holster. Ino stepped back in shock – never had she seen her friend take on such a stance towards her own comrades, this expression of fierce resentment a complete contrast of the soothing look of gratitude she had worn just barely fifteen minutes ago when she thanked her for saving her life with her Shintensen abilities. Beside her, Chouji's bewilderment was palpable as well, while Shikamaru remained firm in his resolution, having withdrawn his own kunai.

From any other present shinobi's perspective, this group of Konoha teens would seem to have discovered a Zetsu clone imposter in their midst, in this case, most apparently Tenten. The girl's conflicting emotions caused her torso to tremble on its own accord, as she tried to get a grip of her senses. Neji Hyugga, her teammate, her friend, the one whom she shared a special bond with… could have been killed in battle. Team Guy's child prodigy, one of her most trusted friends, could have fallen. As she swallowed the lump that had caught in her throat, the ensuing silence between the quartet eased the awkward tension and allowed Tenten to regain her composure.

"I… I have to find out," she mumbled softly, lowering her scrolls in utter defeat. "I thought… I thought I could… go find out…"

She allowed Ino to give her a comforting hug as she shut her eyes tight, surrendering to the anxieties and fears that had flooded her entire being. Shikamaru's voice seemed to float in and out of her senses, as he grunted some form of apology but maintained that what they had to focus on now was the current Zetsu clone mess causing such widespread turmoil across the various divisions.

"We need to work together, and come up with a solution," he now took a long sweeping look across the area. "And we need you to have a good head on your shoulders, Tenten. I told you what I knew about … the situation with Sakura and Neji because I care for you. I knew you would want to know and it would have been unfair if I'd kept it from you."

His words made so much sense, and gave her so much warmth suddenly, that she felt a deep sense of remorse. She could well have been alone at that very moment, if Team 10 had not been summoned to deal with the Edo Tailed Beast problem earlier, and she should be appreciating the fact that her friends were here to provide her with so much love, care and support through the last few hours. Breathing in deeply, she extracted herself from Ino's embrace and placed her scrolls back in her holster, before holding Shikamaru's warm hands in silent affection, giving him a firm nod to indicate that she, Tenten of Konoha's Team Guy, was ready to face the upcoming adversaries.

"What do we have to do then?"


	25. Chapter 25

**Part 5: First Aid, Second Base, Third Degree (2)**

"I'm sorry for snapping at you just now."

Ino shrugged the apology off with a reassuring smile, knowing fully well that Tenten's earlier retort had not been a personal attack against her. Still, she could still recall the churlish tone her fellow kunoichi had adopted in retaliation to the incident, that look of unbridled fury and revulsion stamped callously in her memory bank. She had never seen Tenten in that mode before, but told herself that the news had been too staggering for her friend to digest rationally and calmly.

The two girls were carrying out Shikamaru's instructions after a brief discussion, sharing his plan with important personnel of the remaining troops. All over the beaches and the surrounding cliffs, commands were being shouted as soon as squad leaders understood the new strategy. Shikamaru had voiced his thoughts out to the Second Division General, Kitsuchi, who had nodded his head and given his consent in his gruff voice.

"I'll inform General Darui. He and Chouza-san are standing guard near the Four Violet Flames Battle Encampment barrier, but you guys should go ahead and inform the other squad leaders. Be careful though. We've lost quite a number of shinobi due to those treacherous creatures, and we do need a sound plan like this to stem the chaos."

Tenten had recognised this burly man as the one who had arrived with reinforcements and attacked the Tailed Beast form of Kinkaku with a mighty punch, an Iwa technique similar to the one Kurotsuchi had used to destroy Kakuzu's Water Mask. Before the strapping man could turn away and make his way towards the other side of the cliffs, she could not help but ask whether his daughter was all right. The lines on Kitsuchi's furrowed forehead relaxed visibly as his eyes twinkled in some form of recognition.

"You're the girl who used that fan! Kurotsuchi and my two buffoons were singing praises of you! She's fine… must be around here somewhere. Well done, girl! You four Konoha ninja are brave and hardy youths indeed! Now get along and carry out your task!"

Ino's hushed whisper and abrupt halting of her footsteps brought Tenten back to the present, her mind still clouded by her anxieties about Neji. She saw that her friend had raised her tanto, and was now taking a defensive stance, as a group of shinobi made their presence known from behind a cliff wall, blocking the two Chunins' progress.

"Pesky kids," a long-haired man wearing the signature white one strapped Kumo flak jacket snarled, wielding a dull-coloured scythe. "You think you're so smart, aren't you?"

"We're putting an end to your interference, girls," hissed a female in Konoha's green, twirling a metal pole that gleamed in the moonlight. "We'll make it quick… but painful."

Tenten's hands touched her twin scrolls, but with a split second of cognizance, removed only the one held in the left holster. She hoped her pal had not taken notice of the moment of sudden hesitation, her right hand now gripping the spear she had summoned from the single scroll in her left. Out of the corner of her right eye, Tenten saw that Ino had merely glanced at her weapon of choice but remained firm in her stance, their silence by no means an indication of any fear on their part. Rather, both teenagers awaited a mere moment before pluckily bounding forward towards their foes, taking no qualms in attacking them in their supposedly human forms.

With a forceful thrust of her spear, Tenten parried the blow of the metal pole, expertly manoeuvring the staff out of the clone's hands with a simple twist of the wooden staff in her hand. Sending the rest scattering in a flurry with a barrage of kunai from the scroll in her left hand, the brunette impaled the clone's chest with the bladed end, pushing her torso back to hit another clone; another powerful thrust sent the spear piercing through the second body, the wooden stake now connecting the two lifeless clones with Tenten's rage. Her next wave of projectiles took out three others, before she vaulted over the stake with a katana in hand to back her friend up.

With her speed and prized tanto, the blonde had easily taken out a few opponents as well. Knowing that her Shintensen techniques would not work well here, Ino was making use of her repertoire of taijutsu skills, her graceful kicks and accurate hacks bringing them down effectively. Her practice sessions with Tenten were proving themselves effectual here, as a well-placed kunai embedded itself in the middle an Iwa's forehead was followed in the next second by a vicious swing of the short blade across his partner's throat.

"They know we're on to them," she spat as she kicked the head of a fallen clone mercilessly. "They'll try to take us down before we can spread the word around, especially to the troops on the cliffs."

"If the sensors can't even figure these imposters out with their abilities, we're going to have a tough time," Tenten muttered, placing the scroll cautiously… consciously … back into her holster while still holding on to her katana. Though she wanted to suggest the two of them split up - partly to ensure that the information could be passed around more quickly, partly to figure out what her weapons could be capable of now in whatever privacy she could find - she knew that it was an unworkable idea. Travelling singly could bring grave danger to either of them, as the past few minutes had proven, but there was a burning desire for the weapon specialist to determine how the Bashosen was affecting the ninja tools stored in her right scroll. A few seconds of eye contact with Ino told Tenten that she had to appear as nonchalant as she could if she wanted to bring the idea up, but before she could say anything, she was interrupted by a woman's voice, a voice that was vaguely familiar to her.

"Arent… aren't you the girl… who saved us from those monsters?"

"Yes, the one with that fan!" exclaimed her companion, whose cheery voice was filled with obvious admiration and gratitude.

Tenten lowered her head as she recognised the two voices now, the two voices that had given her the strength to raise herself from defeat, to propel her forward to take on the final two masks. She turned her head to find two Kirigakure soldiers in their grey flaks, holding on to each other supportively while wearing stunned and appreciative expressions. The female spoke again, gushing in awe and thanking both girls for rescuing them from the clone imposters, for they had taken refuge in a nearby cave due to their injuries but it was evident that the enemy was hovering nearby.

"How's your back?" Tenten asked the speaker, as she beamed at the duo. "Earlier on when I met you, you said that you'd hurt your back."

"You remember us? Gosh we're so honoured! My back is much better, thank you. A medic healed me earlier."

"I'm glad," Tenten continued as she lowered her blade. "Otherwise… the child you're carrying… I'm glad you're fine. Thanks for helping me with the Fire Mask by the way, with your Suiton techniques."

The two strangers hesitated a moment before nodding vigorously, claiming that their unborn child was fine and replying that they were more than delighted to have helped her out in her battle against the fiery demon. Tenten's heart sank as she heard these false words, her expression softening, then hardening within moments. She did not know how much more anguish and despair she could handle, as the heart-wrenching scene she had unwittingly eavesdropped on hours ago took hold of her senses, the memory of the couple's proclamations of their love and devotion towards each other and their new-born baby inching its way towards her aching heart.

The 'couple' noticed the change in her demeanour and wore bewildered expressions at first, but in the next second, the female's face transformed from one of veneration to the other extreme of unveiled contempt, well aware that their game was up.

"They were holding on to each other's hands, up to the moment we sucked the life out of them," she growled, her slit eyes glowing in unnerving malice. "Pathetic humans, clinging on to their ideation of love… of family… of sacrifice. Pathetic indeed."

With Ino's jutsu holding them still, Tenten strode towards them as she took in the faces of these two imposters. Despite their vile, contemptuous expressions, she wanted to remember what they looked like, for she would be forever grateful to the couple who had reminded her … what being a shinobi, a soldier, a warrior… was all about. Mumbling a sorrowful and bitter apology for her failure to protect her benefactors, she beheaded the two clones one after the other, her pal releasing each from her mind grip in quick succession for her to exact vengeance. Looking at their fallen corpses at her feet, Tenten dropped the katana with a clang and departed from the scene, to continue carrying out her orders together with her friend.


	26. Chapter 26

**Part 5: First Aid, Second Base, Third Degree (3)**

****"Those… clones… what they did to that couple… it could be … what had happened… to Neji."

The velvety night sky loomed in its majesty, adorned by pulsating diamonds that glittered nonchalantly against the inky canopy, oblivious to the acts of terror that were occurring way below them. The low, waning gibbous moon hovered tenuously in the twilight firmament, bestowing a dim light upon the land. For a few shadowy moments, there seemed to be halo around the dark wispy clouds that had eclipsed the moon. As more cirrus clouds passed, the other celestial constellations, too, succumbed to the veil of cloud cover.

Even in the dull lunar luminescence, Tenten's tightened jawline was evident to Ino, who, while racing up yet another rocky cliff, kept a close watch on her companion's side profile after she spoke those ominous words. The dark-haired youth fixed her eyes ahead as she moved, now wielding a short sword in one hand and holding on to a length of chain with a _fundo_ attached; Ino had been awed by the way Tenten had been striking at the enemy clones with a strange detachment with that second weapon, either bringing them down with vicious blows to the head or using it to pull them in before impaling their flailing torsos with her trusty blade. She knew that their encounter with the two Zetsu clones was affecting her friend greatly, and even though she did not know the whole story, she understood that the fact that this particular couple had fallen must have been a significant blow to Tenten due to some earlier episode in this tumultuous day. In fact, it seemed surprising that she was only linking this unfortunate outcome to Neji only now, a full thirty minutes later.

Landing neatly at the cliff edge after turning a somersault, the two girls spent the next few seconds looking back down at the surrounding beach areas, taking in the results of their handiwork from their vantage point. Across the land, the Alliance soldiers were following the four Konoha young Chunins' devised strategy, separating themselves and keeping a minimum of a three-metre radius from one another. Standing in individual circles in order to reduce the chances of getting attacked by Zetsu clone imposters, each and every shinobi was forced to keep their senses sharp and alert even at such a late hour, a deep sense of unease and precautionary wariness taking over the forces. Heaving a sigh at the sight of the occasional fallen comrade lying in the midst of those circles, the Yamanaka teen gripped the handle of her tanto tightly, feeling slightly gratified that there were many more White Zetsu bodies on the ground, a significant number of those the result of the amazing teamwork between her and her pensive pal.

Just before she could find the right words to say, Ino had her attention diverted abruptly by the sounds of battle occurring close by. Her senses heightened, she could detect the strangely unorthodox yet overtly familiar resonances of her teammate's clan techniques amongst the jarring clangs, gruesome stabbings and terrified screams.

"It's Shikamaru!"

Even before Ino had blurted out her peer's name in her own shrill tonality, the two armed female Chunin had already started forward, speeding across the plateau towards the commotion. Tenten recognised this area as where she had witnessed the stupefying terrors executed by Kinkaku's Tailed Beast mode, and was once again reminded of the haunting secret stored within her right scroll.

"Tenten! Your Kibaku Kunai! Quickly!"

Without even a flutter of her lashes, the kunoichi responded to Konoha's young Nara strategist immediately; there was no time to take the scene in fully nor to grasp the situation, but simply to obey the anxious cry of her peer. Skidding to a halt with the heel of her right sandal, she freed her left scroll and allowed it to unravel around her upper torso, commanding a dozen explosive tagged kunai to be expelled from their mystical confines. Eyes flashing in the dim moonlight, she caught sight of a couple of air-borne ninja tools hovering around and sent her own weapons flying towards them at a devastating speed, taking them out in mere seconds.

"Quickly! Retreat!"

The urgency in Shikamaru's voice gave Tenten only a moment to register the hulking figure looming in a distance before she vaulted over some tall boulders with her friends, and retreated further inland. The young man finally signalled for a pause after a minute or two, and keeled over in obvious relief. Without further ado, Ino placed her hands over his right thigh, where a palm-sized square-shaped shuriken was embedded two inches above his kneecap.

"Edo… Edo Tensei. Two of them. One of them… was invisible…"

Tenten kept a vigilant lookout while Ino healed Shikamaru's injuries – it seemed that apart from his thigh getting pierced, there were a few other cuts and slashes around his body as well. The male teen gritted his teeth at first, but started recounting his encounter once Ino removed the blade from his flesh.

"I … left the first base to look for you two, presuming that you girls would be reaching the second base soon… took a shortcut. That was when I heard the soldiers' cries and came to investigate. One of them… I couldn't see in the fog, but saw his victims getting their throats slit… the other one… he was a weapon-user…apparently a _Jiton_ user based on what I'd observed. "

Tenten's ears pricked at that moment, tilting her head slightly to face her friends. "A _Jiton_ user? As in he possesses magnetic abilities?"

Shikamaru nodded as he checked the state of his spiked up ponytail, grimacing at the amount of hair slashed off. He went on, in evidently distressed tones, on how he had realised too late the way the Edo zombie's powers worked – once his oddly shaped shurikens touched a target, it would become magnetic as well, making it much easier for him to focus his weapons and take his adversaries out.

"I'm a walking magnet now," he grumbled grimly, grunting as he got to his feet. "One of the Kumo soldiers I was trying to save said the Edo's name is 'Toroi', apparently quite infamous for his unique Kekkei Genkai abilities. If he manages to get down the cliff, the damage he could cause would be catastrophic."

"We have to seal him somehow then," Ino said as she sheathed her tanto below her medical pouch.

"There was a Suna man at the scene... from the Sealing Corps… he was trying desperately to seal the Edo... said his name's Takuma."

Tenten spun around fully now, once again having her senses overpowered by the mention of someone she knew. Wide-eyed and gaping in shock, she held eye contact with her two confused friends for a split second before leaping up and balancing herself atop the boulder. Before she could descend, however, she was greeted by the resurrected man whom Shikamaru had just talked so fearfully about. Her lips curved up slightly as her male friend's flabbergasted question, "Jeez, does she know everyone in her division?" reached her ears, but the sandy-haired zombie a short distance away captivated her scrutiny fully.

"Hello, girl. You must be the one who took out my shurikens with those explosive kunai. Clever."


	27. Chapter 27

**Part 5: First Aid, Second Base, Third Degree (4)**

"Tenten! Dodge all his attacks! Don't let his shurikens touch you!"

Her eyes sparkling, her limbs alive, the plucky kunochi sniggered as she maneuvered her whole torso expertly in mid-air, feeling the fire torch every fibre of her body. As soon as she landed, she darted away again, leaping away like a feline from the half-dozen shurikens that now stabbed the ground in her wake. As a specialist of ranged weaponry and combat, Tenten was an expert not only in the accuracy of hitting her targets but one who could evade similar attacks as well. The numerous shurikens on the ground and the surrounding boulders were exerting some kind of magnetic field like Shikamaru had warned; Tenten had abandoned her chain and sword once she realised they were being drawn to the enemy's ninja tools, summoning a bo-staff that she held on to firmly as she took to the air once again. She knew that she was buying time for Ino to get a sense of the Edo Toroi's position, acting as a distraction for her to get her technique working, but this experience of dodging and avoiding another's weapons seemed just like a mundane workout session for her administered by Guy Sensei.

True enough, the abrupt halting of the shurikenjutsu signalled the success of Ino's Shintensen move, and that was when Tenten took the offensive. With a guttural roar, she sprang towards Toroi, and yelled for Ino to free herself once she was in range. Seeing the Edo blink in bewilderment, temporarily frozen by the sudden appearance of his opponent, she swung her wooden staff across his cleft chin, causing him to stagger backwards. Without missing a heartbeat, the teen then knocked the shurikens and scroll out of his hands with successive blows, the last thrust of the staff to Toroi's ribs knocking him off his feet. Allowing herself only a second's rest, Tenten then scaled the air currents once more as she released some whip-like cords that tied him up quickly.

"Those won't hold him for long," she spoke as she turned to face her friends. "Ino, you may have to…"

The words caught in her throat when she saw both Shikamaru and Ino lying on the ground, which was now coated with a thick layer of frost. Her senses prickled and she ducked instinctively, the instant reaction saving her from the slash of a kunai but not quick enough to prevent her left hair-bun from getting loosened, its delicate band cut in two. Tenten turned a dozen back-flips and landed right in front of her pals, noting in relief that they had not been fatally wounded, just knocked out; Ino's sensor-like skills and Shikamaru's shadow techniques must have prevented this supposedly invisible assailant from causing grievous harm.

"You've done well, little girl," came another voice as the assailant revealed himself, the surrounding cold fog clearing. "Run if you can…you can't prevent us from freeing the other Edo Tensei…"

"Shut up and free me, Chukichi," Toroi snarled, his baritone deep and threatening. "There's no need to tell her everything, idiot! I need to pay this little bitch back for her actions."

Her heart pounding wildly, Tenten refused to show any sign of weakness as she felt her braid caressing her left cheek gently. Clenching her jaw, she untied and unpinned her right hair bun and allowed her dark brown hair to cascade to her shoulders as she faced her two adversaries – joining the square-jawed, broad and chiselled man. Chukichi was a relatively large man with three distinct, broad blue striped markings on his face, wearing a dark-blue robe over standard pinstriped underclothing of Kirigakure ninja. While Toroi wore a long scarf over his neck, Chukichi had a prayer-bead like necklace, wearing a pair of small, red glasses and a bandanna as his forehead protector.

Taking a quick glance at her Konoha peers as the shorter zombie cut his comrade loose, Tenten felt her pulse racing as she turned back to the two men. The thrill she had felt while facing Toroi's magnetic shurikens earlier had vanished completely. The new addition seemed to be a tricky one, his Kiri origins probably the answer for his Hidden Mist Suiton techniques. Now that the surrounding area was covered in mist and frost, the kunoichi knew she would have a tougher time evading Toroi's techniques. Besides, with her two friends currently unconscious, she would have to ensure they did not get hurt by the zombie's shurikenjutsu, a task that seemed to be impossible if she took them both on rashly.

"Give it up, girl," Toroi's voice chimed sarcastically as he retrieved his tools. "Impressed as I am with your weapon expertise, I have a job to carry out."

"Still can't believe Kakazu got sealed," Chukichi followed, shaking his head. "Well, it's true, little girl. We have our orders to follow, and as much as I hate to help the Akatsuki…"

As soon as he belayed those words, his whole body went rigid for a few moments before it relaxed slightly again.

"I thought he'd never shut up," Toroi spat as he shoved the other man slightly away from him. "Kabuto must have taken control of his senses again."

"You're doing this of your free will?" the kunoichi raised her voice, the mention of one of Konoha and now the whole Shinobi Alliance's greatest enemies striking a chord within her. "You're … okay with taking innocent lives and causing such distress to the shinobi world? At least your friend there seemed a little remorseful… unwilling even! Why? Why are the likes of you… Kinkaku… Kakuzu… so villainous? Even when you're dead, you're totally devoid of …"

"Feelings? Emotions?" came the brusque retort in the form of a loud cackle. "Grow up, little girl. We're reincarnated for a reason – we were once renowned shinobi, able to carve a names for ourselves. You can't hurt me, but I can hurt you really bad, so I'm just going to enjoy myself while I can as long as I remain in this wretched world. And I'm really going to enjoy myself taking out a talented brat like you, girl. Be honoured."

With that the former Kumo ninja unfurled his scroll slightly and held it between his teeth, indicating the end of their seemingly non-existent argument. Tenten backed away slightly as she saw him summon two strings of square shurikens, one in each hand. Cursing inwardly as she felt the slippery surface under her sandals, the fear rose in her throat when she realised that Chukichi was nowhere to be found.

"Ino, Shikamaru! Wake up! You have to get up now!"

The desperation in her voice was unmistakable, and she found her hands grabbing both of her twin scrolls out of pure instinct. Instantaneously, once she raised her right scroll, she could feel the Bashosen's power teeming in it, sending a shockwave of realisation that all was not lost.

"As long as I don't unseal the fan itself, my chakra reserves won't be affected too badly, I hope," she muttered, unfurling both her scrolls in preparation for the Edo's attack. "I cannot allow a single shuriken to magnetise Ino or Shikmaru, and I have to take out Chukichi immediately!"

With a fierce bellow, the brunette, now wearing her dark-brown hair loosely, catapulted herself into the air just as Toroi launched his shurikens, sending them spinning all over the vicinity. Releasing a mixture of Kibaku Kunai and explosive-tagged kunai grenades from her left scroll, Tenten swiftly unsealed a different range of weapons from her right. It was a sight to behold, as her explosive tagged projectiles detonated themselves once they hit their targets, while fiery Fuma Shurikens hovered protectively over her friends. True enough, the crackling flames spinning in their blazing glory, exposed the other Edo zombie in the abrupt attack, as he scurried out of harm's way, failing to achieve his goal of taking out the other two ninja.

Sensing Toroi's astonishment even as he sent his next wave of shurikens, Tenten now held a giant shield for protection and swung a pair of nunchakus that sent approaching shurikens flying away with strong flurries of wind energy. The remaining shurikens found their way to her giant shield but were rendered useless once they touched the metallic surface, encrusted in crystalline ice.

"You… you… your weapons… possess elemental properties?"

Toroi had stopped attacking, utterly taken aback by this sudden turn of events. His earlier swagger and arrogance had been replaced by pure astonishment, his gaping mouth dropping his scroll into his right palm. Grey sclera flashing in annoyance, his next move was to summon a dozen gigantic square shurikens that he held on to effortlessly, before he flung them one by one in quick succession.

Tenten was now facing twelve gigantic shurikens, controlled by Toroi's magnetic abilities and the magnetic field present in the vicinity, his earlier attacks providing a fertile land for his prowess. She knew that her Kibaku Kunai would not be able to destroy these weapons in time, but her quick wit allowed her to face the new threats with nary a doubt.

"_Sogu: Raiton Kunai_!"

The atmosphere exploded in its sizzling energy as four dozen kunai were regurgitated from the female's right scroll, startling all five witnesses present, including the wielder. A testament of Tenten's pin-point accuracy, each kunai took a corner of each gigantic square shuriken, transferring its crackling lightning energy into the dull steel and sending it crashing to the ground together, effectively neutralising the magnetic properties within. One by one, the huge four-sided blades fell with a resounding thump, causing their owner to fall back in his consternation.

"How about this?! _Kusari Fubo_!"

Hair flying in all directions, eyes blazing in utter confidence, the Team Guy kunoichi threw her Chain-Wind-Staff at her opponent, the speedy rotation of the two weighted chains attached to the flail weapon enhanced by its imbued lightning properties. The spinning ninja tool thrust its way into the Edo zombie's torso, causing him to scream in agony as the lightning energy ate its way through his whole being. A couple of Kibaku Kunai finished the job, sending the resurrected zombie flying all over the area.

"Well done, Tenten. We have to find Takuma to bind him though, when he gets resurrected again. The other one seems to have fled the scene."

Shikamaru's business-like manner saw him hurrying back to where he had left some of the other shinobi, leaving Tenten frozen to the spot. Hesitantly, head lowered, she turned around, knowing fully well that her younger female friend was awake and staring at her back.

"You lied to me."

Ino's voice was strangely calm despite the weight of her words, as her bosom pal finally met her stricken eyes. The butterflies in Tenten's stomach fluttered all over as she realised that her friend had witnessed the way she had defeated the meddlesome zombie, and she now wore a mournful look of despair. "I was worried for you… for your safety… I begged you to leave that fan alone … and yet… you lied to me."

With that, Ino followed the footsteps of her teammate, leaving behind on the ground the most precious gift her friend had given her all those years ago, her well-used and trusty tanto.


	28. Chapter 28

**Part 5: First Aid, Second Base, Third Degree (5)**

"You knew, didn't you? You knew she had the fan. That's why you came looking for us."

Shikamaru confirmed Ino's suspicions with a nonchalant nod as he bandaged his wounded thigh, speaking in that signature lackadaisical, indifferent tone of his, "I found weapons near the medical tents. They were either covered in ice or flames. Based on the encounter you told me about those medic clones, I put two and two together and assumed that Tenten still had the Bashosen with her somehow."

Ino felt her cheeks flush slightly, averting her gaze and concentrating on healing the female Kumo ninja currently writhing in acute agony due to the multiple cuts around her whole body. She should have known that something was not right with her pal, the way she had seemed so evasive and totally enraptured when she was recounting her experiences with the Bashosen. Her stubborn silence, coupled with her furrowed brows and perpetual frown, made her teammate heave an impatient sigh and shake his head in resignation.

"You know if she hadn't kept that fan, we would have been killed by Toroi, don't you? In fact, if I hadn't come after you like I did… well, I can't fathom what could be happening right now."

Ino turned to face Shikamaru with an astounded glare, before her eyes softened in defeat – it was indeed true that if Tenten had not fought Toroi off with her weapons, now seemingly imbued magically with elemental properties, both of them would have been taken out by the two resurrected zombies. Worse, the joined forces of Toroi and Chukichi would have brought more chaos to the division and slaughtered numerous shinobi who, in their individual circles, were very susceptible to deadly attacks; if they had managed to free Kakuzu, matters would have escalated to catastrophic proportions as well.

"We must look at the bigger picture, Ino," the Nara teen now stood up and stretched his limbs. "I know you're worried for Tenten, seeing how she almost succumbed to that special fan, but based on what we just witnessed, she does seem to have things under control." His tone turned even austere, as he looked directly into her eyes and reminded her that they were war; just like how they were forced to take down Asuma Sensei, and how dangerous it was for Ino to perform her Shintensen no Jutsu on Kinkaku earlier, they had to view things from another perspective now. "Somehow, that ninja tool is responding to Tenten, and she's managing to use its elemental properties without any obvious side effects at the moment. The only thing that's a problem now is that I must inform General Darui about this… about her taking the fan."

Ino helped the struggling female ninja to her feet as she took in Shikamaru's words, agreeing silently that he was making a lot of sense. Still, it did not mean that she liked the idea of Tenten possessing the revered tool, vivid images of the way her friend almost lost her life earlier in the day due to the immense chakra loss flashing in her clouded mind. Even though it had been a few hours, and the remaining troops had also suffered the Gedo Mazu stomping and was now trying to cope with the White Zetsu imposters in the midst, the memory of how broken and fragile Tenten's body had been, when Ino had performed her clan jutsu on her just before she destroyed Kakuzu's fiery demonic mask, was still stark and flagrant in her mind.

Shikamaru was already herding the few ninja in the area towards the base for more medical attention; he had sent Takuma and another member of the Sealing Corps to the vicinity where Tenten was to seal Toroi before his body could regenerate completely. Ino tried to avoid looking at the faces of the dead soldiers around them, all either with their throats cruelly slashed or with multiple shuriken wounds all over their bodies. She could not help but attempt to steal a glance backwards; seeing that she could not discern what the distant figures were doing but assuming that everything was fine, she helped her Kumo patient slowly along and made to follow her teammate.

"After all," she muttered bitterly to herself, still feeling spiteful about being lied to, "with that fan in her possession, she won't need anyone's help now, would she?"

If only the Yamanaka teen knew how wrong she was, and how much her friend would need her aid within the next few moments.


	29. Chapter 29

**Part 5: First Aid, Second Base, Third Degree (6)**

"You… you look different without your hair buns."

Tenten wore a tentative grin at the equally hesitant comment, as the Suna youth seemed to be struggling to find the right words. The star-lit night was now accompanied by a gentle breeze, the clouds having moved away and revealed the presence of the moon, portentous and sinister-looking against its glittering black blanket. Seeing that her two current companions were hovering over the site where Toroi's body was regenerating, she took a few quick steps away from them as she quickly, absent-mindedly, fashioned her shoulder-length hair into a pony-tail, her dark brown hair swishing in the wind as it was being fastened.

The Konoha teen swallowed the lump in her throat as she saw that her fellow peers had left the vicinity back to the base without her; her pal had understandably displayed her hurt and disbelief quite openly and she could hardly blame her for such an austere response. Though she yearned to catch up with Ino and Shikamaru quickly, she knew within her heart that she had no proper explanation for her actions.

Besides, she could not leave the two Sealing Team Corps members alone while they waited for the Edo Tensei zombie's body to be reconstructed – the scattered remains of Toroi's physical form had miraculously formed the lower of his body, with numerous pieces mystically making their way back to the core. Chukichi was nowhere to be detected, although Tenten knew that he had to be somewhere around the area, sneakily awaiting an opportune time to exact vengeance and free his partner-in-crime.

"It's amazing how this …this resurrection works, doesn't it?"

Takuma's voice brought the kunoichi back from her reverie, and she was a little stunned by how close he was standing; a quick glance told her that the other Suna shinobi was still keeping a close watch on Toroi. Tenten managed a weak smile as she returned his gaze; the young man seemed to have aged rapidly since the last time she had seen him, all those hours ago before her uncanny, life-changing experience began with the discovery of the legendary ninja tool. His previously handsome facial features accentuated by his naturally tanned skin were now marred by the haggard look he wore, and he seemed to be carrying a whole world of burden upon his shoulders. His reddened eyes and heavy eye-bags suggested a severe lack of rest, or egregious bouts of crying.

"If only… if only Kimuya could be … resurrected somehow."

It was at this moment that the Tenten felt an eerie sense of alarm as she turned her head slightly to follow Takuma's forlorn gaze – he was now staring wistfully at Toroi's half-body, with his Suna peer glaring back at both of them with a distasteful look on her face while she held her scroll of binding cloth ready. Feeling even more disconcerted by the kunoichi's palpable hostility starkly enhanced by the warm breeze that had picked up its pace, Tenten was just about to turn back to Takuma to enquire more when his following words caught her off-guard.

"That's Akiya. She's Kimuya's sister."

The Konoha Chunin could feel her eyes widen in disbelief and an uncomfortable heat rush to her flushed cheeks. Even though she was standing more than fifty metres away, the girl's resemblance to their fallen comrade suddenly became so vivid. In fact, she had to chide herself for not noticing it earlier – the elongated chin, narrowed slits, perpetual pout and jet-black hair flowing from beneath the standard Suna turban. The fact that Tenten could sense Akiya's unfriendliness from such a distance made her utterly bewildered and very uncomfortable, and she was just wondering if she should go forward to introduce herself, when Takuma's ethereally gentle voice reached her ears again.

"_Nunoshibari no Jutsu."_

It came as an absolute shock to Konoha's weapons mistress when she found herself caught unawares from behind, the white bale of cloth that Takuma had been holding on to swiftly wrapping itself around her torso, trapping her left arm within its confines while she flailed helplessly with her right as she fell forward. As she hit the rocky ground with a painful jolt, Tenten felt a cold shiver run down her spine as the thought hit her that she could have been taken down by a Zetsu clone that was impersonating as Takuma.

That was when she recalled that a clone would not have been able to activate the Sunagakure Cloth Binding Technique that had now immobolised her.

"Takuma! What in the world are you doing?" Tenten cried out, her quavering voice betraying the fear and astonishment she felt, towards this totally unexpected turn of events. As she spoke, she tried her best to wriggle herself out of her constraints, but her few seconds of exertion were in vain; her left arm and legs were bound securely with the rest of her body and her twin scrolls in her belt holster, which meant that she had no tool to her disposal. She was even more flabbergasted when she heard a peal of laughter coming from afar, and realised that it had to come from…

"Akiya! I've done what you told me to. It's time for your revenge."

Tenten froze as the words registered in her mind. In her painfully awkward position, she was still facing Toroi's regenerating form, and the Suna girl she had hardly had the opportunity to be properly introduced to was now taking slow, deliberate steps towards her. Takuma bent down and showed his wan face, maintaining his calm disposition as his dry, cracked lips formed words again.

"You could have saved him. You could have saved Kimuya. He should not have… he should not have died."

Tenten's mind was already in a whirl, but what was now spouting out of the young man's mouth was muddling her stricken thoughts even more now. It did not help that barely a little more than an hour ago, she had mercilessly cut down the Zetsu clone imposter that had taken Kimuya's form, slitting its throat deftly with a kunai. Even then, the memory of Kimuya's lifeless body plunging into the bloodied waters was already prickling at her conscience, but now, Takuma's painfully serene tone was raising a storm within her, mingling intensely with the rising terror of what was in store for her.

"We… we were both there, Takuma," she blurted out, attempting to exhibit as much conviction as she could. "Kimuya…"

Before she could continue, Takuma sent her head crashing to the ground, his callused hand colliding with her right cheek, the resounding slap echoing in the night air.

"Don't speak his name! Don't you ever speak his name again! He was like my brother and you could have saved him! You let him die! You saved everyone else but you let him die!"

Takuma's feathers were finally ruffled, his previously halcyon demeanour completely replaced by outrage. As he howled into the night, clenching his fists in his frenzied outburst, the tears streamed down his blanched cheeks and his veiny neck as he raised his head to the heavens. When he faced Tenten again, his bloodshot eyes were filled with such vehement hatred that she could hardly believe that she had earlier thought in her naivety that he had actually shown her some form of admiration and interest. The teen girl spat out the coppery blood that had filled her mouth from the vicious blow, her eyes now searching desperately for any sign of Toroi's resurrection having taken completion.

"Takuma, stop this! We need to take care of the task at hand! Akiya, get back to Toroi's body and bind him! Quickly! We can talk later!"

The urgency in Tenten's voice seemed to knock some sense into the Suna male youth; he blinked a few times before looking aghast at the sight of how Toroi's body had almost regenerated completely.

It was too late for him to respond however, as it was at that exact moment that the one named Akiya drove a kunai straight into his back.


	30. Chapter 30

**Part 5: First Aid, Second Base, Third Degree (7)**

"Enough of your whining, fool."

Wearing a triumphant sneer, Akiya loosened the hold on her kunai, before ruthlessly stabbing her victim another time. Tenten's heart palpitated as she witnessed Takuma expel dark red blood from his mouth, choking and gurgling helplessly. She saw his look of bewilderment transform into one of horrific realisation and remorse at his humungous blunder.

"Time to show yourself, fatty!" the newly found adversary cackled, her shrill voice clear and distinct in the sullen surroundings. Tenten's sinking feeling plummeted to new depths; as Takuma collapsed in a heap onto the ground, the kunai lodged in his lower back having been viciously pulled out in a blood-curdling manner, the meddlesome form of Chukichi came into view, the benign way he was absent-mindedly adjusting his goggles belying the sinister powers he held within.

Trying feebly to regain her wits, the female Chunin ignored the frivolous manner the Zetsu clone was behaving as she danced towards the Edo zombie gleefully, brazenly congratulating themselves for the successful charade. Takuma's stricken eyes filled with tears as they clouded over with obvious regret, the colour draining from his ashen face as he continued to cough on his own blood. As he struggled to speak, the internal turmoil evidently tearing him apart, Tenten reached her right hand out and gripped his shoulder firmly.

"Remember what Yabuza said. Live. For Kimuya's sake, for his sacrifice for you…Live."

Her fierce whisper seemed to work somewhat, as after mere seconds, Takuma managed to breathe more evenly and brought his bloody hand towards Tenten's binds. Almost immediately, she could feel the cloth loosen slightly; at least she was able to wriggle the fingers of her left hand and feel her legs again. Alas, the relief was short-lived.

"Ah ah ah! Now we can't have that, can we?"

The Suna male Chunin emitted an ear-piercing shriek as the Akiya imposter sent a forceful kick to the exact spot where she had gorged him twice. Kneeling down as she continued chortling callously, she turned Takuma roughly over to face her instead of Tenten, the next few seconds of her licking up the blood splattered over his pale face a greatly nauseating moment for the two Alliance shinobi. The Konoha kunoichi was vainly trying to extricate herself from the loosened cloth, but Takuma had not managed to undo his jutsu enough before he was so cruelly treated yet again.

"Let him go, you monster!"

"All's fair in love and war, little girl," 'Akiya' snarled as she raised her venom-filled slit eyes to meet Tenten's own shimmering orbs. "Just because you're on the losing end now, doesn't mean you need to call us names. Besides, he looks like he's enjoying all my attention, isn't he?"

Takuma's fallen form was still twitching in endless agony as the clone continued ravishing his face wantonly, but Tenten was anxious about the way he was rampantly losing blood. In her desperation, she had not noticed that Chukichi had strode steadily and ended up beside her own bound torso, until he squatted down right in front of her while bestowing a malevolent smirk.

"You thought you were so smart, weren't you?" Akiya's demented voice breaking her concentration on the silent zombie now placing his cold, gloved hand on her head. "You thought you could go around all day, playing the role of the heroine of Division One, wielding that irritating fan, taking us out like we're nothing but pesky little flies, didn't you? And now, even though we're simply having fooling around with our _Narikawari no Jutsu_ techniques, you and your irritating friends have to spoil our fun."

Tenten was trying to put on a brave a front as she could, even though the dread she felt was utterly unquenchable at the moment. Gritting her teeth as Chukichi savagely pulled her hair back, she bit her already swollen lower lip in an attempt not to cry out loud but could not stop the tears from being squeezed out of her tear ducts. When she opened her eyes again, she found Akiya squatting right in front of her as well, her previously blatantly depraved disposition seemingly making way for a more subdued, yet no less threatening one, as she brought her decibel down to a foreboding, menacing tone.

"Let's see what fun we can have with you, shall we?"

Tenten snapped her head backwards, her eyes dilating in consternation as her mind exploded in a thousand different vivid hues. Never before had she experienced such an excruciating mind probe – it seemed as if her whole life was flashing past her eyes in that split second, if that was even possible, and the Konoha teen wailed in unadulterated agony as the combined prowess of Chukichi and the malicious Zetsu clone forced her to face all her young life's torments at one go, magnifying them to such intense levels that the kunoichi was close to passing out.

The Zetsu clone was now cradling Tenten's terrified face in both hands as she placed her lips ever so close to her cheek, her own body straddling the girl's entrapped torso. She cooed creepily into her victim's ear, revealing how she had had the good fortune of taking the life and absorbing the abilities of a young sensor earlier before taking the Suna Sealing Team Corps member down. Even though she could only copy her victim's abilities to some degree, her tag-team with Chukichi was currently ripping Tenten's mind apart, unravelling all her shrouded insecurities and stripping her soul bare.

"Oh… poor little girl," Akiya continued gushing in that unnerving manner. "It seems that you're just an unwanted little bitch, aren't you? Your parents actually abandoned you outside the Hidden Leaf Village."

With those words amplifying the anguish in unspoken volumes, Tenten fought to repel the mind rape but to no avail. She could feel her whole head burning as her assailants kept a death-grip on her mind, ploughing through her thoughts and secrets as if she was an open book. Her initial screams for help had been reduced to miserable whimpers mixed with helpless pants, as Akiya went on relentlessly, with her accomplice continuing to keep a silent vigil.

"Poor little Tenten… the girl with no clan… with no surname… no family to call her own. Left to die outside Konoha… placed in an orphanage… what's this? You want to become as legendary as Lady Tsunade? Haha! Ridiculous dream, you silly brat… so you've always been jealous of your other Konoha peers since you were a toddler… you despised them for having what you didn't have… a family… So you've had to work extra hard to establish your own abilities… impressive…studying and exploring the realms of _fuinjutsu_ on your own and working them in into your own repertoire…"

Utterly defeated, clearly beaten, the ravaged kunoichi felt her tears cascading freely as she limply turned her head away from Akiya's poisonous lips. In the midst of her hazy vision, the imposing figure of the second Edo Tensei zombie, now fully resurrected once again, loomed at a distance. Toroi was now taking in the scene in stoic silence; even then, Tenten could feel her heart give a slight lurch despite being totally helpless in the hands of her attackers.

"Chukichi! What the hell is going on? Stop this nonsense and let me have the girl! I have to pay her back for what she did!"

Toroi's bellow traversed all the way to the quartet, his low baritone booming across the plateau. Visibly frustrated, Akiya disengaged her body from her prey and lifted herself up to face the regenerated zombie. She hollered back at him to be patient since she wanted to enjoy testing out her new abilities and breaking this 'incorrigible bitch' until her mind was totally razed to bits.

Tenten heard Toroi give a contemptuous grunt of agreement, although he did bark for the two to leave enough for him to demolish. She kept her eye-lids tightly shut as she felt the weight of Akiya's body press against her own again, knowing fully well that she might not survive one more minute of this torture. As she braced herself for the inevitable outcome, her eyes flashed wide open when the impersonator whispered urgently into her ear,

"Tenten, hang in there…It's me, Ino."


	31. Chapter 31

**Part 5: First Aid, Second Base, Third Degree (8)**

"_Your parents… were great ninja who sacrificed themselves for the good of the village."_

_The awestruck toddler, tears streaming steadily down her cherubic flushed cheeks, turned towards the tender voice of her caretaker, eyes shimmering in a mixture of pain and wonder. She took another look at the picture she was cradling in her tiny palms and finally managed a grateful grin. The revelation that the couple holding on the sleeping infant in the photograph had actually been formidable warriors somehow made all the taunting and bullying at the Academy much easier to swallow. She continued staring at the precious memento that had just been given to her and asked meekly if she could wear her hair in a similar fashion as the woman in the picture. The girl's face glowed as her request was met with fingers braiding her soft, dark brown strands into Chinese-style buns, all the gazing at the smiling faces of her deceased parents._

"_**Your parents actually abandoned you outside the Hidden Leaf Village."**_

**The image of a couple scurrying away after leaving an infant wailing in a basket outside the village was unceremoniously retrieved from the deep recesses of her mind.**

"_You want to be like Lady Tsunade of the legendary Sannin? You're not even from any significant clan in Konoha! You're just a pathetic orphan with no family! No clan jutsus!"_

_Once again, she was left alone in the middle of the spacious vacant hall, the boisterous laughter and snide remarks echoing loudly in the reverberant space. She raised her head from the floor and picked herself up, knowing that the usual bruises would be forming all over her body. Painstakingly rearranging her hair buns that had been maliciously rendered into a dishevelled mess, she hardened her stance as she attempted to stem the rage that was threatening to overwhelm her senses. She knew she would be admonished for picking fights and making a nuisance of herself with the other academy students, but she simply could not stomach all the terribly vicious lies that they were spouting. My parents were heroes, she kept mumbling to herself as she kept her gaze steadfast at the wooden target boards a significant distance away, even as she swallowed the painful lump in her throat, I'm not an abandoned child. The next few moments were a display of the young student's staggering sense of accuracy as she impaled board after board with wave after wave of projectile weapons, before tearing them asunder._

**She saw herself watching the girl grinning gleefully in the presence of her proud parents as her idol patted her pink hair, cursing inwardly that she had utterly no talent in the field of medical ninjutsu.**

"_From now on, we're Team Guy! Onward with the spring-time of youth!"_

_She could barely veil her consternation as the tall man in a tacky green jumpsuit and utterly ridiculous shiny bowl haircut introduced himself as the Sensei of her group. This dismal outcome could hardly make up for the relief that she would be able to leave the academy and the treacherous kids behind; as she took a quick, desperate glance around the arena, the bitterness within her rose. True enough, the other kids were all cheering in delirious joy as they found themselves grouped together in their respective clans, staying true to Konoha traditions. A bunch of rejects, she heard someone chuckle at the pair of males in her group already embarking on a series of push-ups, their thick busy eye-brows twitching in concentration but mouths flashing their brilliant teeth as they seemed to formed an immediate connection. She felt her cheeks reddening and clenched her fists, seething at the unfairness that was once again taking over her young life._

**Memories of the times she struggled to keep up with her teammates during training sessions flooded her mind, together with myriad scenes of her failures, of her fallen from grace… of barely veiled whispers that she was the most useless member of her team… of the spiky blonde tearing her apart with her wind assaults … of her teammate's ravaged body being treated by the village medical ninjas… of the pale blue-skinned colossal figure almost drowning her in his water prison … of the lifeless body of a comrade plunging helplessly to his watery grave … of the benevolent faces of the unfortunate couple who had given her strength… the overpowering sense of shame and self-loathing was multiplied ten-fold by her assailant's psychic attacks.**

"_You've been told not to use that fan. Now stop whining and get some proper rest!"_

_She found herself sneaking out of the medical tent in scant minutes despite her fragile state, her mind intent on attaining her goal, stumbling and wavering as she moved her wobbly legs along. Whether driven by pure instinct or pure luck, she managed to locate the area where the generals and captains had left their tents unattended, safe for a few guards on night patrol. In the heat of the disturbing night, tensions seemed to be running high, and nerves were easily frayed; a simple fling of clanging metal projectiles was all it took to distract the patrolmen from their posts to investigate the non-existent threat, and a mere minute was all she needed to seal the prize into her scroll._

**The conniving look she was wearing as she skulked back to the medical tents played repeatedly in her disconcerted mind, sending surges of revulsion in her writhing body at the recollection of her own treachery.**

"Come back to me, Tenten. It's Ino," came the insistent voice again. "We need to act quickly… we don't have much time. Come back to me, please…"

Wheezing frantically as her wits returned, the desolate girl was instructed by her friend, who had in turn taken over the bodies and minds of both her assailants from a hidden location not far away, to continue acting as if her mind was being invaded; Tenten could feel the kunai cutting slowly through her cloth binds. Through her half-closed lids, she spied the tall Edo zombie gathering his tools, temporarily distracted by his task and appeased that his accomplices were taking proper care of the wretched teen. She knew that her friend was right and that they did not possess the comfort of time; the fact that she was being rescued right now was a miracle in itself. As much as she detested it, the Chunin played the role of a victim to perfection in this unprecedented charade, crying out in agony as Ino continued verbally abusing her using Akiya's vehemently revolting voice.

"So… you lost to a Suna girl…losing your match in just a few minutes… so pathetic… oh so pathetic…"

Within the loosened wrappings of Takuma's white cloth, Tenten reached her left hand to her holster and clutched her scroll tightly, a sense of relief washing over her whole body. Though still exhausted by what the villainous duo had put her through, she could feel her strength returning; and though she knew it was Ino who was speaking through the Zetsu clone impersonator, the sight of the detestable face still veering so close above her own made her want to retch.

"You're a liar… you lied to your friends… you stole the fan even though you were told not to…you're a big fat liar…"

She swallowed hard as she met Akiya's eyes; the narrow, spiteful slits had been replaced by woeful, glistening orbs. Her captor's brows were now less furrowed, the tautness of her face visibly relaxed as well, as she put a halt to those hurtful words. With the long, black strands caressing her face, hiding this intimate exchange from their intimidating enemy, Tenten felt a fresh bout of tears when her friend mumbled a sincere, "I'm sorry… I'm so, so sorry Tenten…for leaving you alone…"

Just as she wanted to whisper her own heartfelt apology as well, she felt Akiya's slackened body go rigid for a split second before it reeled back upwards and adopted a ram-rod posture. Tenten whirled her head to see Chukichi's body in a similar pose, but with two square shurikens embedded in his back.

"Ino! Get out of their bodies now! Quickly! He knows! Toroi knows!"

Tenten almost recoiled in horror when her friend, still using the clone's body, spluttered her resistance, claiming that she could not leave them now, not when she was not entirely free from danger. She yelled out in retaliation when she saw Chukichi standing up and facing the distant _Jiton_ user with a lone kunai, as Akiya continued cutting through her bonds, but felt her already parched throat go utterly dry when she saw a dozen shurikens spinning towards the Edo body that her bosom buddy was currently occupying.

With a final paroxysm, her anxiety fuelling the desperation she felt, Tenten broke free and in a split second, rolled away from Akiya's prone body and the clutches of the bothersome bale of cloth, screaming for her friend to detach herself from her captives.

Just as she got to her feet and unfurled her twin scrolls, the sight of the dozen shurikens piercing into Chukichi's hapless body one after another, the last one drilling directly into his forehead, almost caused her young heart to stop.


	32. Chapter 32

**Part 5: First Aid, Second Base, Third Degree (9)**

"You bastard!"

With that lugubrious cry filled with anguish and pain, the dark-haired kunoichi charged forward with little regard for an actual plan, her sole motive to exact vengeance on the resurrected zombie who had taken her friend down. Whizzing past the three fallen figures, the wind whistling in her ears, the tormented girl ducked and swerved as the sound of her pitter-patter footsteps echoed in the silent night, testament of her speed and agility as she avoided every single one of her adversary's spinning blades with ease. Her unfurled scrolls were flapping in the wind as she sped toward Toroi with her arms stretched behind her lean torso, ever ready to serve their mistress with their exquisite contents.

Seeing that her enemy was playing the distance game and had retreated slightly while summoning dozens more shurikens now hovering protectively around him, Tenten screeched to a halt and vaulted into the air, silently commanding her scrolls to coil around her air-borne body. Summoning a voluminous amount of lightning-imbued kunai and shurikens, she sent them shooting wildly from mid-air, easily taking out the magnetic shurikens at Toroi's disposal, that he was hurling at her direction as well.

"Don't underestimate me, you snivelling brat! I just have to hit you once and you'll be a walking target for my Kekkei Genkai!"

The towering man was now wielding a few more giant shurikens and actually running forward towards the girl. Landing quickly, once her sandaled feet touched the rocky ground, Tenten launched into an explosive sprint, almost too fast for her vigilant audience, blurring through the horizon like a sleek feline. Wielding two machetes, one blazing with red-hot flames, the other gleaming in lustrous ice, she ignored the stark astonishment on the chiselled features of the Kumo ninja. Side-stepping effortlessly as her opponent brought his weapon crashing to the ground with a guttural roar, Tenten seethed with fury as she engaged in a taijutsu match, her training and missions with her other Team Guy teammates, all specialised in close combat brawls in one way or another, putting her in an advantageous position. Within a few moments, with the raving youth gaining the upper hand easily, it was evident that the _Jiton_ expert was more capable of holding his ground with ranged combat; a fiery slash sent him stumbling backwards awkwardly using a shuriken as a shield, its magnetic properties rendered ineffective by the intense heat. This was immediately followed by the girl's spinning machete dance, a graceful performance that sent the Edo whirling upwards into the air by the ferocious, spectacular combination of fire and ice, before he was flung wretchedly to the ground, the few ninja tools he was previously holding on to scattered pathetically around his miserable form.

The few minutes of exertion having replaced the pallor of her cheeks with some welcome heat and colour, the Chunin had only two seconds to revel slightly in her momentary victory before Toroi's chilling words, taking the form of a droll croak, caused her to leap back a few steps at once.

"I told you… I only had to hit you once."

It was only then, after somewhat expelling the immense trauma and anger she had undergone in the past minutes, that she noticed a single, small square-shaped shuriken attached to the back collar of her Konoha flak jacket.

All of a sudden, Tenten found herself inescapably on the receiving end, as dozens of magnetic square shapes, big and small, rose uncannily from all over the vast area. Cursing inaudibly, she knew that she had taken the villain's bait in her rashness without contemplating her moves strategically, only focused on her rancour, on her desire to make him pay for the possible demise of her best friend.

"Let's see who's going to have the last laugh now, girl," the zombie made an exaggerated display of picking himself up dramatically to his feet, dusting his clothes. "You're now in the middle of my magnetic field, you little bitch, and I'm going to take my time tearing you limb from limb. There's no one around to help you now!"

Tenten raised her scrolls defiantly, refusing to portray any sign of trepidation against this ranting lunatic, obviously consumed by his crazy urge to annihilate the girl who was now not only an eyesore but a constant reminder of his humiliating defeat. Taking a quick glance behind her, her heart skipped a beat when she saw that only Chukichi's body remained where she had left it; Akiya and Takuma were nowhere to be found. Realising that this could mean that Ino might actually be safe and sound nearby, she knew that she had to tackle Toroi's techniques for a while on her own before reinforcements arrived. Beating a hasty retreat now might only cause Toroi to succeed with his plan of causing more mayhem among the Division One troops, and she did not want that on her head.

"Come at me then!" Tenten yelled before clenching her teeth as she faced her foe again, her scrolls awakened and taking a life of their own, twisting and turning in regal beauty; in that split second that their eyes met, irises burning in mutual resentment, both male Edo and female teen cut loose with their respective skill sets. With his current leverage now that his opponent had been magnetised, Toroi was more than able to manipulate his shurikenjutsu to his whims, putting her in a defensive mode.

No matter how Tenten deftly swerved and dodged his attacks, the square blades seemed to be able to home in at her precise position every moment. It took a tremendous effort on the person on the receiving end of this wondrous yet lurid technique, since she was never able to break away from the detection of the bloodthirsty metallic tools. Still, with her speed and agility, she was able to avoid taking a single hit in the first wave, her own elemental-imbued weapons providing crucial assistance that allowed her to keep herself in the game. The wind element advanced the speed properties of her projectiles, her kunai exploding from her scroll so quickly that they knocked each and every single square blade back with perfunctory ease. Simultaneously, the combination of fiery Fuma Shurikens and lightning blades was working well in neutralising the never-ending barrage, sending them ricocheting all over. The frosty shield she had strapped to her back like a turtle's shell might have felt a little chilly, but it froze the shurikens once they touched its ice-encrusted surface. Tenten knew that she had to keep her cool this time and not be reckless with her own assaults, although the longer she waited to take action, the more possible it was for Toroi to overwhelm her with his shurikens.

"I'm not done yet, you bloody whore! And it looks like now that I'm dead, Lady Luck finally seems to be favouring me instead of an impetuous brat like you!"

Powering down but still wielding her twin Dragon and Phoenix swords both crackling with blue lightning energy, the kunoichi spun around to see seven Shinobi Alliance soldiers near Toroi, all drabbed in various village standard colours and war gear, all flashing menacing sneers and triumphant smirks. "Zetsu clones," she spat, her heartbeat thumping in her ears. "If they are making their way here, it must mean they have been alerted by the commotion here." While she was hoping that this might also mean the same for her own possible back-up, she was not confident that she would be able to hold all eight adversaries back, especially when Toroi would use the clones as a means to distract her and overpower her with his shurikenjutsu.

"Let's see how you get out of this one, bitch! _Jiton_: Magnetic Shield Storm!"


	33. Chapter 33

**Part 5: A Friend in Need (3)**

"Please… just let me die…"

Yamanaka Ino felt her solicitude mounting, even though she was actively ignoring her patient's persistent puling, his consistent whimpers about how he did not deserve to live after how he had betrayed his comrade doing little to distract her muddled thoughts. Having managed to use her _Shintensen no Jutsu_ to bring Takuma over to where she had remained hidden behind the same boulder that Tenten had stood on just a while back, she now had both palms over the grisly stab wound on the Suna youth's lower back, her hands pulsating with chakra energy as they performed their task. She winced slightly as she worked, her own upper back smarting badly from the shuriken wounds bestowed by the _Jiton _zombie. It had thoroughly been a close call indeed, for if she had taken a few seconds longer to transfer her mind back from her two captives earlier, she would probably have punctures all over her body, if she had managed to even survive such an assault.

The discordant clangs and distant jangles suggested that yet another ninja tool battle was underway, and the blonde kunoichi knew that her friend had struck out against the zombie, probably in retaliation to how he had harmed her by piercing his fellow Edo comrade with his weapons while she was inhabiting his mind and body. Ino wanted desperately to make her presence known to her pal, so that she would not do anything rash, but she required one more minute to stop the blood from spurting out of Takuma's wound. She could guesstimate, however, that despite her best efforts, this young man could end up paralysed for life, since the Zetsu clone had been utterly savage with her kunai.

By the time she could afford to leave Takuma on his own for a spell, her sight was greeted by a majestic display – entrapping Chukichi's inert body once again, grimly taking notice of the ghastly blade embedded in his forehead, she saw to her amazement how astounding Tenten's speed was. The weapon specialist was manoeuvring her way towards Toroi so quickly that she could hardly make sense of how the dual machetes could have suddenly appeared in her hands. The visual spectacle that followed caused Ino to grit her teeth in tensed exhilaration while she rooted for Tenten; she saw her friend move around the burly man so dexterously with her weapons that in less than two minutes, he was sent sprawling to the ground from mid-air after the teenaged girl slashed him upwards with a nifty spin of her nimble body. As she gasped in awe at how stupefying and breathtaking it was to see the distant figure twirling so masterfully with her newly improved weapons fortified with fire and ice, knowing fully well that a large part of the ferocity was due to her thirst to seek justice for the supposed harm meted to her best pal, she could not help but bask in the warm comfort of the reminder of their firm camaraderie.

Realising the dispute was far from over when she saw scores of spinning square shurikens hovering in anticipation for another bloodbath, she sensed that Tenten's cautious but sprightly leaps backwards meant she could have been hit with Toroi's weapons during the taijutsu scuffle. Shikamaru's words replayed in Ino's mind, and in less than a second, the determined girl transferred her consciousness back into her own body, resolute in the decision to be ready to render aid to her friend when the need arose despite her current injuries.

The battle escalated into rousing proportions in mere seconds, as both weapon specialists were striving to gain the upper hand. Watching intently from behind the jagged rock, Ino marvelled once again at how her plucky friend was incredibly successful in warding off the Edo zombie's ninja tools with her own, the jarring clash a delightful pleasure to watch. As the atmosphere sizzled in the bursts of elemental energy that was accompanying Tenten's myriad range of weapons, Ino had no choice but to regretfully admit that Shikamaru had been right with his assessment of Tenten's supposed treachery – had she not siphoned the Bashosen for her own use and worked its magical elemental properties into her weaponry, Toroi's Kekkei Genkai abilities would probably be causing the dwindling troops more harm than good if she was not able to stop him. Now she felt more rueful than ever about her earlier childish act of abandoning her friend and leaving her alone, a grave mistake that had caused such a devastating turn of events, one that Tenten had almost paid for with her sanity.

Just as she got herself prepared to activate her own _Shintensen_ techniques on Toroi to end the feud, the Yamanaka teen's eyes widened, the familiar feeling of fear sending unwanted tingles throughout her body. While Tenten was in the midst of fending off waves of shuriken attacks, several figures had crept up and positioned themselves near the zombie. Though they were clad in war attire of the five nations, it was obvious that they were all Zetsu clones judging by the way they were just hanging around Toroi without taking any action.

"_Shintensen _won't be enough… if I get hurt in the crossfire, I won't be able to provide any aid," the blonde girl muttered under her breath, her heart pounding wildly. "I… I may have no choice but to use… that technique instead… but will I be able to now? Well I just have to try to find out… must help Tenten…"

Within the next few minutes, as the girl focused on her newly determined path, unyielding despite the growing doubt in her mind, she saw her friend in the middle of a battle that had exploded to such intense heights that the previous show she had just viewed seemed significantly dwarfed in retrospect. Once she witnessed Tenten being caught in a struggle that required her to fight using both ranged and melee combat, forced to face Toroi's weapons and the advancing clones at the same time, Yamanaka Ino took a final deep breath and leapt into the fray, dashing towards her friend with her delicate fingers forming a different sign this time as she cried out aloud,

"_Shinranshin no Jutsu!"_


	34. Chapter 34

**Part 5: First Aid, Second Base, Third Degree (10)**

"Stupid, troublesome hair!"

Whirling around hastily to deflect yet another batch of homing magnets, Tenten cursed at the stray strands stuck to her cheek at the moment as she sent her own Fire-Wind shurikens spinning speedily towards them. Turning a neat back-flip as she heard the distinctive clangs of her weapons striking the pesky squares and knocking them back, she hurriedly brushed her hair away, quietly mourning the temporary loss of the hair-buns that usually kept her strands so neatly and tightly tucked in. She wondered how Ino and Hinata could go into battle with so much hair in their way, and suddenly blushed as she realised even Neji wore his own sleek, shiny hair long and flowing.

The thought of Neji caused her heart to ache as she sent another barrage of Kibaku Kunai shooting out of her scrolls. Bending her knees slightly, ever ready to perform more evasive tactics, she summoned a hefty, gigantic mace, its spikes sharp and pointy as she attempted in vain to push the alluring image of his calm, handsome face out of her mind. Neji would want me to win this, she reminded herself, feeling that familiar tingle in her nose, even as she swung quickly to allow the shield on her back to take another four hits. Neji would want me to win.

The ninja tool onslaught was creating such a ruckus that she was certain that the troops would have noticed this particular commotion by now, even if it was occurring in relative seclusion from the rest of the Alliance forces. As if sensing her thoughts, Toroi was now commanding the Zetsu clones to take point; Tenten sniggered when two assailants mindlessly obeyed, eager to finally partake in the action. As soon as they rushed in, she mentally commanded her spiked kunai grenades to detonate – the spheres strategically shrouded in various spots in the midst of the metallic wasteland, were barely noticeable among the myriad tools scattered around. Once activated, the explosive tags performed their task, sending viciously sharp kunai and shrapnel piercing and slashing the two clones in multiple areas of their bodies, which dropped to the ground with a thud in a bloodied mess.

"You…you… intolerable brat!"

The macabre execution of the two Zetsu clones triggered something in Toroi, for he raised both his hands outstretched in an instant, curling his fingers tersely in an obvious bid to increase the magnitude of his techniques. With his inherent affinity with the magnetic force and the metallic debris enhancing the magnetic field around the area, he now exerted such precise control that he was able to sense where those treacherous spheres lay hidden. In less than twenty seconds, he had taken them all out, with a dozen explosions happening at random places around as the magnetic squares zoomed in on them and caused them to blow up noisily.

Although her plans had been thwarted, the Konoha teen was actually gratified for the temporary breather; while her enemy was a tireless zombie, she was definitely in need of some breathing space. Panting slightly as she witnessed her kunai bombs exploding all around, she took those few precious moments to gather her wits, having already spent the past fifteen minutes or so locked in such a fierce sparring storm with Toroi. Though she was still clearly in her element, with the Bashosen mysteriously lending such invaluable support with its elemental properties, Tenten knew that she could be overwhelmed within the next few minutes if she did not play the cards right. Furthermore, as the accursed zombie had just demonstrated, the increasingly magnetised vicinity was playing to his advantage and she might be on the losing end soon.

"Maybe… just maybe… I will have to use the fan again…"

Ignoring the mixture of thrill and fear brought on by that single thought, the kunoichi braced herself as yet another two threw themselves forward, snarling madly and raising their own weapons. It was evident that Toroi was paying little heed to the clones' safety, for he had summoned his shurikens to follow their sprint towards their target. With a defiant roar, Tenten brought the spiked end of her mace smashing assertively downwards, the earth elemental aspect of the weapon causing the ground to rumble forcefully and throw the flailing duo off their feet. By the time they scampered back up unsteadily, they suddenly found themselves unable to control their own movements.

"What… what's going on? Why… why…"

"I can't move!"

Their stricken expressions and panicked states were palpable, and Tenten felt a tinge of bewilderment as she threw the approaching shurikens back with a mighty swing of her flail. Realisation struck her hard when the two imbeciles faced each other and, as disconcerted as ever, drove their blades straight into each other's abdomens, their strangled cries lasting only for two seconds before they wordlessly fell to the ground, much to the chagrin of Toroi and the remaining clones.

"Ino!"

Barely able to contain her joy, Tenten felt yet another adrenaline rush pump through her veins as her friend landed neatly beside her, her face a mask of grim determination enhanced with unadulterated exhilaration at standing beside her comrade again. Exchanging a silent nod, the two Konoha girls furrowed their brows and turned their heads towards the enemy.

"Somehow I can't seem to get a grip on Toroi's nervous system with_ Shinranshin_… I can only handle two bodies at once currently and only from a critical distance away." Tenten took in Ino's words carefully, remembering her friend telling her before that this particularly powerful ninjutsu required delicate chakra control by the user sending her chakra into her victim's nervous system and operating the his body at will. She comprehended immediately that by projecting her own consciousness into the enemies' bodies using _Shintensen_, she would be vulnerable to getting hurt, as shown earlier when she occupied Chukichi and the Akiya impersonator. As Ino explained that she her chakra levels were greatly depleted by healing Takuma's severe injuries and that she could only use this Mind Body Disturbance technique for another short period, Tenten felt a surge of gratitude for her friend's infallible attitude.

"I don't want you to get hurt again, Ino," she spoke, noticing the wounds on her friend's back. "You shouldn't be near me at all, since Toroi's shurikens are able to home in on me now."

"I'll distract him with _Shinranshin_ first from a distance then. By the way you look adorable with your pony-tail." With a cheeky smirk, the blonde turned a few back-flips and with one knee on the ground, formed her hand sign efficiently. Almost at once, Tenten saw two Zetsu clones standing near Toroi charge at him, throwing the confused zombie completely off balance with this appalling turn of events.

Within seconds Tenten had joined in the fun, wielding her lightning imbued Dragon and Phoenix swords as her choice of weapons again. She flew towards the four opponents and hacked her way through, taking care of the last flustered clone with little more than some fanciful swordplay, the twin Chinese swords crackling with blue energy. Slashing the back of the clone's knees brought him crashing down to his knee-caps, and Tenten deftly landed on his shoulders, trapping his head between her feet before breaking his neck with a savage twist using her legs. A short distance away, Toroi was trying to counter Ino's ninjutsu to no avail; the two clones were taking turns to engage him in melee combat, in which he had already displayed his less than desirable proficiency earlier with Tenten. Nevertheless, in the chaos of the scuffle, he did manage to slash one clone's throat with his gigantic shuriken, effectively eradicating Ino's control of his body's nervous system.

"Ino! Get ready!"

With that bellow, Tenten leapt at the Edo with her trusty bo-staff, its ends toughened with an earthy crust, swinging it downwards with aplomb. Managing to block the blow with his shuriken, the rabid zombie roared in unbridled rage as he charged at the girl who was deftly turning backflips, his grey sclera blazing with anger. Tenten dodged the first swing of his shuriken, her lithe body bending backwards just as she sent the zombie stumbling with a powerful kick to his shin, using the base of the staff as support. Without a flutter, she propelled herself forward again, twirling the wooden pole over her head before landing it savagely right in the middle of Toroi's agonised face.

Sensing that he was somehow still manipulating the magnetic force field, she spun around to see dozens of shurikens zooming towards her again. Abandoning her staff after knocking four spinning blades back, Tenten went on a leaping spree again, evading every single shuriken that was out for her blood. Just as she heard a familiar command indicating the activation of her friend's _Shintensen no Jutsu_ technique, the remaining hovering shurikens all dropped to the ground with a resounding clash. Turning around to see that the last clone Ino had captured was lying on the ground with a kunai to his heart, she managed a grin before facing the zombie.

"Hurry Tenten," he spoke urgently. "I don't have enough chakra to hold him for much longer."

Unfurling her right scroll, the brassy lass, hair all dishevelled, sent four chains flying outwards and coiling around Toroi's torso. As soon as Ino released him from her technique, the zombie blinked in mild confusion at his wretched state, as his metallic bonds started crackling with lightning energy.

"You… you brats! This is outrageous! Release me at once! You are not fighting fairly, you disgusting bitch!"

"_Sogu:_ _Cho_ _Tenjin Ranmen!"_

Without bothering to respond to this churlish being, the weapons specialist summoned her usual collection of kunai, shurikens, spiked balls and a range of blades with a simple twirl of her scrolls. This time however, they were all imbued with the elements, whether burning in fiery flames, coated with piercing, gleaming ice or blazing with lightning energy. Ignoring the awestruck expression on the zombie's ashen face at the sight of hundreds of weapons spinning menacingly above him, Tenten directed her steel projectiles in a stream formation with her chakra infused wires, sending them raining down on the horrified Edo without any hesitation, and ending the long-drawn battle in a clattering explosion.

"We did it, Ino!"

The sight of her opponent's fallen body lying in a ravaged heap, torn and tattered all over with numerous blades jutting out of his limbs and torso, only brought a few seconds of triumphant delight for the young kunoichi, for all of a sudden, a wooden coffin appeared mysteriously out of nowhere and enveloped the utterly vanquished zombie before it vanished just as quickly. As she spun around in utter astonishment to address her friend, her heart sank even further as she found herself staring directly into the lazy, languid eyes of General Darui.


	35. Chapter 35

**Part 6: If The Shoe Fits (1)**

"What's with the third degree here? Didn't you see that Tenten just defeated Toroi and sent the bad guys scuttling?"

Shikamaru had to blink quite a few times, completely taken aback by his female teammate's outburst at General Darui's genuinely benign question about Tenten's possession of the Bashosen. Barely less than an hour ago, she had walked out of the Team Guy weapons specialist, simply because she felt aggravated by her friend lying about the same issue. Now, before the interrogated girl could even say anything, Ino was jumping to her defence so fiercely, barely taking into account that she was addressing the Division's General in such a hostile manner. "Girls," muttered the Nara youth under his breath. "Like Dad says, you just can't understand them."

Both Tenten and Ino spun around abruptly and flashed such contemptuous glares, their eyes lit up by the fiery torches in the make-shift tent, that Shikamaru raised both his hands in defeat, feigning innocence. As Tenten turned back to face the stone-faced general, one whom she had fought alongside against Kakuzu and his elemental hearts for a considerable spell, she wore the same grim expression, her brows furrowed and lips drawn tight and taut. She met Darui's eyes, which were still showing that same stony, laid-back look that she could not decipher what he was mulling about at the moment. The trip to the second base had been a hurried but quiet one, with the quartet rushing quickly with the unconscious Takuma for him to seek first aid from the assigned medics, whoever was left. The Zetsu clones had been extremely judicious in their pick of victims, with the medics and Sealing Corps members as their prime targets, for obvious reasons. With the division more settled now, Shikamaru's strategy working wonders for the time being, they did now have more time to settle more mundane matters.

"Ms Tenten, I'm just asking whether you stole the Bashosen from the tent I'd kept it in," Darui repeated his question in his usual drawl, although Tenten could sense a hint of impatience in his voice and noted a weird glint in his eyes this time round. "I have to ask because I found two bodies near that particular tent."

Tenten could hardly contain her shock, just like Ino who was stifling her gasp. She stared silently at Darui, imploring with her stricken eyes to reveal what had actually happened. The right-hand man of the Raikage heaved a sigh and told the Konoha teens that he had found two sentry guards murdered just outside his tent, and found the sacred fan missing. "And they both died with a kunai… lodged in their foreheads."

As the equally flabbergasted Ino started screaming at the dark-skinned general for actually suggesting that Tenten could have killed two Kumo soldiers for the sake of the Banana Leaf Fan, Shikamaru stepped in, asking if the two soldiers were actually Zetsu clones, a question that was immediately proven inconsequential since once killed, the clones would revert back to their white-skinned Zetsu forms. Darui turned his listless gaze to Tenten again; she shut her eyes tight, struggling to recall exactly what she had done during her retrieval of the Bashosen. Stuttering slightly, she recounted how she had pilfered the fan from the tent in a daze, her hazy memory a result of the immense chakra loss that she had been recovering from back then.

"So you remember throwing a few kunai and shurikens to distract the guards."

Tenten's eyes widened at the hidden accusation, her heart in her throat. Try as she might, she had totally no recollection of any direct contact with any Kumo ninja during those few shameful moments, only of shadowy figures under the cover of the night. She had never been placed under such an interrogation before, her current track record and integrity now admittedly questionable, and whatever little she said now sounded undoubtedly dubitable, even in her own ears.

"Well, we did find a couple of these ninja tools a distance away… nowhere near the tent. So I guess at least that part is true," sighed Darui, obviously distressed by the constant chaos that his troops had been plagued with on the very first day of war. "And to be honest, based on my interaction with you today… I don't think you'd ever do such a thing anyway. I'm sorry Ms Tenten, but I just had to make sure."

The dark-haired girl raised her head, and saw the white-haired man wearing that trademark grin of his, his eyes and mouth drawn into slits. She felt her two friends relax visibly and exhale in evident relief, and although she did return Darui's smile with a sheepish one of her own, somehow, she felt much less confident of her own innocence. After all, she had stolen the fan when her senses were so muddled, only caring about getting her hands on that treasured tool at all cost. Could she… could she have really committed murder in order to attain her goal?

"However, you did steal the Bashosen, and that… that is an issue that we have to discuss."

Her cheeks burning in embarrassment, the kunoichi kept her head lowered as she nodded weakly. In the next ten minutes, queries were fired, admissions were made, and defences were fought. While she could not explain her affinity with the sacred tool, herself still at a loss why she had been able to wield it against Kakuzu's masks and currently infuse its mystical powers with her weapons, Tenten knew that it had been working in her favour after she had sealed it in her scroll, since she could hardly feel any chakra drain utilising it in this manner rather than physically swinging it to activate its powers. Ino and Shikamaru piped in and recounted their close battles with the resurrected form of Toroi, explaining that if it had not been for Tenten's elementally imbued weapons, they would not have been able to defeat the zombie.

"A _Jiton_ user," Darui mused, his eyebrows raised. "That would have been a real threat for our forces. "And this Chukichi… I assume he's disappeared too?"

"Along with the Zetsu clone who injured Takuma and…" Ino hesitated, suddenly wary of mentioning the traumatic psychic ordeal that Tenten had suffered. A quick glance at her friend's bowed head put an abrupt stop to her report, and she joined her in admiring the obtuse cracks on the stony ground.

"Kabuto must have summoned them back, since they were clearly overpowered by the girls," Shikamaru spoke, wearing his trademark smirk, showing a slight hint of the pride he felt for his female peers. "He wouldn't want more of his Edo Tensei resurrections to be sealed, since he's already lost at least six here. The fact that Toroi and Chukichi were sent here to retrieve Kakuzu especially speaks of his desperation to get more of his forces back."

While Darui agreed with the Nara strategist, he also feared the two zombies returning due to their unfinished business. Commanding Shikamaru and Ino to instruct his Kumo squad leaders to assemble a team of _Raiton_ and _Katon_ users in preparation for the duo's impending return, he requested for Tenten to remain behind. Ino hung around the exit for a moment, hesitant to leave her pal alone, but Darui's genial grin gave her the reassurance to follow her teammate quickly.

"Now then, now that we're alone, let's see what we should do with the Bashosen."


	36. Chapter 36

**Part 6: If The Shoe Fits (2)**

"I can't believe he let you hold on to the fan."

Tenten gave a tentative, indifferent shrug as she watched her friend bandage the wound of yet another injured soldier. Having carried out Darui's instructions, Ino was now assigned to the role of a temporary medic since the medical team was now severely short-handed. The two girls were back in the medical area, this time well-guarded by a squad personally inspected and designated by Darui, with Team Guy's kunoichi sharing bits and pieces of her conversation with the division captain. Just as she was resigned to her the fate of having to surrender the Bashosen, she had been stupefied by Darui's words, which caught her totally off-guard.

"Ms Tenten, I see no real reason to prevent you from using the Bashosen if it no longer drains your chakra. You seem to be extremely competent with it, and it fits your repertoire perfectly. Your heroic actions throughout the day… and even the night… with the fan… prove that it is better for you to wield it for the course of the war at least. It actually saves me the trouble of having to guard it, since it's in such good hands, and I don't have to worry about anyone else trying to steal it… from my tent again."

Ino's incredulous look was soon replaced by her typical girlish giggles as she asked her pal if the gentlemanly and chivalrous ways of the well-statured general had caused her to swoon. Tenten's muted silence caused the blonde girl to lift her head from her patient's injured torso, and her spirits sank as she noticed the forlorn look of dejection on her friend's wan face as she gazed listlessly out of the tent's flapping doorway, her short ponytail swishing and caressing her neck. Ino knew immediately that she must still be badly affected by Chukichi and the Zetsu clone's invasion of her mind. Wordlessly, she wiped her hands and made her way to her pal's side, wrapping her right arm over her shoulders.

"I'm… I'm so sorry, Tenten," whispered the Yamanaka girl, her own voice soft and lilting. "If I hadn't behaved in such … such a childish manner earlier… you wouldn't have been…"

"My whole life has been a lie, Ino."

Tenten found that she had no tears left that night; it seemed as if the psychic trauma had squeezed her tear ducts dry, even if the harrowing emotions still remained close to the surface, the excruciating images still replaying vividly in her mind. Akiya's assault had extricated so many inner demons, with the revelation of her true parentage haunting her the most.

"All these years, I'd been … naïve…utterly naïve… stupidly so, even." The tremble in her voice was evident, her clenched fists by her lap displaying her inner turmoil. "I should have known… if my parents were true ninja… true heroes… I … I would have… others would have held me in higher regard. Before Team Guy… I wouldn't have been so… ridiculed… belittled… I wouldn't have been called a… a nameless bastard."

Ino felt her skin prickle as these baffling words, all brand new information to her, were regurgitated by her friend, the intonation and brevity of those few clauses exposing how beaten… how defeated she felt. With her body so tightly entwined with her friend's, she could detect every shudder of her tensed torso…every vibration of her quivering voice… every beat of her palpitating heart. Never had she heard Tenten speak about her childhood in such chilling tones, for never had she shared such intimate details of her early years. The Tenten she knew was as lively and gregarious as a young girl could get, and for all those occasional idiosyncrasies of hers, she had never shown herself to be a victim of bullying. In fact, who would dare to even consider making fun of a kunoichi who could turn a sewing needle into a projectile weapon to the eyeball? Yet, it was clearly evident that every single word was genuine, every gulp in her throat was painful, every breath she took was wrought with despair.

The distraught teen bent her heaving torso over as she buried her face into her palms, still unable to shed a single tear. "All these years, I have been refusing to admit the facts… all laid bare… all pointing to one thing… that I was … I am… an abandoned orphan, with no connection to the village. All the hatred I held for Konoha's prestigious clans as a kid… all the empty vows I'd made back then to prove everyone wrong… were all for naught. They were right… they were all right. How could someone a nameless, unwanted orphan like me ever hope to become like Tsunade-sama? What does… Tenten… even mean?"

Ino loosened the grip on her pal's shoulder as she fought valiantly to hold back her own tears – if she was the one who cried now, it would seem as if she was doing so out of pity, and that could send the vulnerable youth over the edge. Recalling how her confidante had given her that much needed lecture after Asuma Sensei's funeral, she mustered the courage and braced herself before spending the next few minutes trying her best to comfort her. While she could not wax lyrical about the meaning of her name, she reminded Tenten of the numerous times she had stood up for her friends and comrades, always displaying such fierce loyalty and courage that no single person in Konoha would actually dare to question her connection to the village.

"Just look at what you've accomplished today, Tenten!" Ino was clearly veering towards desperation since the older teen still seemed utterly unconvinced by her words. "If the rest know of your feats today, they'll be so proud of you… Guy Sensei… Lee… Neji…how can you say your life has no meaning… when you've established so much meaning with us… with those you love and cherish? Remember what you told me when you were about to take down the Fire Mask? You were ready to lay your life for everyone else in the division Tenten, for people you didn't even know by name! And yet at that moment, you asked me to tell everyone you still … loved them."

Try as she might, the emotional girl could no longer control her crumbling fortitude, her eyes now brimming with hot tears, partly due to the fear and grief of the memory that was overpowering her composure, partly because of the fatigue and exhaustion that had suddenly become tangible, the day's numerous physical and mental stresses presenting themselves in the girl's worn out body.

"Why do you think I was so mad at you initially when I realised you still possessed the fan? It wasn't just because you lied… it was because I was genuinely concerned about your safety, which you seemed to be taking for granted after your almost fatal experience with that weapon! If you died today, Tenten, all of us, your friends… Guy Sensei… Tsunade-sama… Neji… we would be devastated! So… please… don't say your life has no meaning. We are your meaning. Konoha is your meaning. And now, the Shinobi Alliance is our meaning as well."

Tenten finally turned her head in acknowledgement of Ino's heartfelt outburst, her face softening somewhat. It was a totally ironical situation when Ino placed her head on her friend's shoulder and allowed her tears to fall, apologising once again for landing her in trouble with the pair of mind invaders. Despite Ino's lengthy exposition and well-meaning intentions, only one thing seemed to stick out in her mind, only one flagrant name seemed to matter. And suddenly Tenten knew what she had to do next.

She had to make her way to Hyugga Neji, no matter the odds.


	37. Chapter 37

**Part 6: If The Shoe Fits (3)**

"Tenten-san! You're safe! Thank the heavens!"

Totally caught off-guard by the bear-hug, the youth retaliated almost immediately by sending a well-placed kick to the shin of her attacker before causing him to stumble backwards clumsily with an equally effective palm thrust. A quick somersault backwards saw her unsheathe two hidden _sai_ daggers deftly in mid-flip, and Tenten landed neatly while adopting a stance of defence coupled with readiness to pounce on her opponent, her knees unlocked, her gleaming blades raised, and her wary eyes burning right into the stricken orbs of the baffled Mugi.

The revelation that it was her comrade and not an enemy did little to rectify Tenten's composure; her brows remained knitted, while her lips stayed drawn tightly into a frown. With the ordeal under the hands of the unexpectedly skilled and resourceful Zetsu clone still fresh in her mind, just the thought of falling victim to yet another of such an execrable experience was sending a prickling sensation across the surface of her skin. Mugi now wore a look of flabbergasted confusion as he remained frozen on the ground, his earlier joy and excitement of finding his comrade safe and sound now mixed with a strange sense of fear and bewilderment.

"Tenten! It's me! Mugi! Remember how we came up with the plan to take down the Water Mask together, and we used our Earth techniques to travel underground from under the iron dome that you summoned? No one else could have witnessed that! I'm not a Zetsu clone! I even offered to wield the Bashosen, and suggested we took turns using it to ensure you wouldn't be drained of chakra! Remember?"

Mugi's relief was palpable as he broke into a smile when he saw the girl finally lower her daggers. He spent the next minute rambling nervously about how Yabuza had also been tapped for his skills in medical ninjutsu, and how at the moment, he had actually been activated to accompany shinobi that required more advanced medical aid to the Medical Corps that had briskly set up a base camp in the midst of the vast battleground due to the heavy casualties the Alliance were taking in the span of a day's battle.

"You're moving to the base camp? Where is that?"

The glint in the Chunin's eyes was accompanied by an obvious flush to her cheeks; though the Iwa youth had known the girl for less than twenty-four hours, he could tell that the gears in her head were turning like clockwork, a plan of some sort already materialising swiftly in her quick, analytical mind.

"Yeah… the Logistical and Medical Division has set up a compound behind the divisions' defensive line… here let me get the map… it's at a centralised spot where all divisions are sending their medical ninja to. The first group left an hour ago, before General Darui led you and the rest back."

Tenten felt her heart throbbing painfully in her ears as she snatched the parchment impatiently from Mugi's hands. Barely able to contain the sudden surge of adrenaline as she scanned the map, she felt the exhilaration course through her veins when she confirmed the location – it was as if the heavens were answering to her prayers and providing her this opportune moment to carry out her plan without the need to snoop around or be under the scrutiny of Ino, Shikamaru or Darui. Within seconds, she had volunteered to be in Mugi's squad, which she soon discovered was placed under Kurotsuchi's lead and that one of the patients requiring such a transfer was Takuma.

"He… he's still unconscious, and needs more advanced treatment as soon as possible," Mugi heaved a deep sigh as he spoke grimly. "Despite the efforts of the medics… like your pretty blonde friend in there..."

Lifting her eyes in mock amusement in spite of the urgency she was feeling, Tenten saw the cheeks of the tanned Iwa male redden profusely as he struggled to find the right words to refute this unexpected disclosure. As he hemmed and hawed, vainly trying to take back his words, the Konoha teen girl actually managed a wry smile despite the weight she felt in her heart. If she had any reservation about the man's true identity, this short, adorable exchange just proved that he was undoubtedly her stalwart-hearted comrade and heroic friend.

"Her name is Ino, and I promise to introduce her to you when we return from our mission, okay?" Tenten sniggered as she returned the scroll, before wrapping her arms around his brawny physique. "And it's good to see you safe and sound too, dear Mugi."

"Are you certain that's a wise idea, after what you've gone through with… that Toroi and that terrible clone? Shouldn't you be resting? From what I heard from Shikamaru, you've been fighting for quite a while now, Tenten."

Not wanting to show any sign of impatience to her well-meaning friend, Tenten gave Chouji a reassuring and goofy grin, purposely stretching her lips as wide as she could while baring her gleaming teeth, dipping her hand into his bag of chips. The Akimichi youth had been instructed by his best friend to stand guard near the medical tents and oversee the preparations of the squad departing for the Medical Unit compound.

"I'll be fine, you big oaf," Tenten felt her heart give a lurch as her conscience reminded her that she was once again lying or withholding her true intentions from yet another of her peers. "Thanks for your help with Kakuzu by the way. You've been such a hero, Chouji!"

A distance away, Mugi was informing Kurotsuchi about Tenten's intentions; the Konoha Chunin returned the Iwa Jounin's nod, slightly taken aback that her reaction seemed a little lacking in warmth and enthusiasm. Nevertheless, she turned her attention back to her friend who still wore a uncertain, worried expression on his face, telling herself that everyone was probably still on edge due to the Zetsu clones' infiltration of the forces all over the land.

"Don't change the topic, Tenten."

The sudden assertion in Chouji's voice almost wiped the smile from her face; she took in the sense of seriousness found in the male youth's beady eyes and realised that within the span of less than a day, her friend had grown tremendously, not just in terms of his hidden prowess, but in his maturity and courage as well. The tone in his usually squeaky voice now suggested a Chouji who was more confident of his views and opinions, instead of the wimpy young man who followed the temperaments of his more vocal and considerably more self-assured teammates, especially since they were either a hot-headed female or a recognised master strategist.

"I… I have to see this through, Chouji," she whispered as she let the too-salty potato chip drop to the ground, ignoring her friend's momentary intake of breath indicating the slight chagrin at the wastage of his food reserves. "Takuma… he may not pull through the night… and I feel… I feel responsible for his condition. I know it was due to the Zetsu's manipulation that he ended up this way… but… you weren't there when I was fighting alongside him and … and the rest of my friends that I'd made today, Chouji. If not for them, I might not be standing here."

The lump in her throat threatened to make her hurl, as she recognised the irony of her words; Tenten knew that she was being just as manipulative and taking advantage of the situation, for frankly, before she had encountered Mugi, she had not thought about Takuma's condition for a while. As she let her words sink in, watching Chouji nod helplessly in agreement, she felt as if she had suddenly adopted a different persona, for the sake of getting what she wanted.

"You should go, then, although based on what Shikamaru said, you'll definitely be an asset here as well, with that fan you possess," Chouji muttered and took Tenten's hands in his own, a hint of shyness clouding over his face. "Please take care, Tenten, and return as soon as possible. I'll let Shikamaru and Ino know later."

The few quick steps she took towards the direction of the squad were halted abruptly when Chouji spoke again.

"What you've gone through today… you're a hero too, Tenten. Guy Sensei, Lee and Neji would be so proud of you."

Feeling as if her heart was threatening to burst out of her chest, Tenten clenched her fists as a curious warmth enveloped her being with the mention of her teammates. While it was impossible, it was as if Chouji was reading the jarring thoughts swirling in her exhausted mind. Retracing her steps, she gave her friend a peck on his cheek and patted his chestnut-brown spiky mane, grateful for his kind words despite them not actually having gone through the trials of the day together.

"Thank you Chouji… I'll be back soon, I promise."


	38. Chapter 38

**Part 6: If The Shoe Fits (4)**

"We're approaching the forests soon. That's where we came from when General Kitsuchi brought some of the Division Two troops over."

Tenten's ears pricked at the conversation going on between Mugi and another Iwa shinobi named Heuchima who were a few steps ahead, the latter's exposition sending her blood racing. If what he was saying was true, then it meant that she would have to break away from the squad very soon; based on what she had studied from Mugi's map, she was now analysing the situation in her head, deciding which route she should take to make her way to the remaining Division Two troops.

Of course, she also needed to come up with a plan on how to sneak away from Mugi, Yabuza and Kurotsuchi in order to accomplish that task.

The squad had been moving for about two hours, and it was at this point when Kurotsuchi called for a break. The five casualties who were being moved on stretchers were all unconscious, and it did take their caretakers quite a valiant amount of effort to ensure that they were not hurt during the journey. As such, while it had been a long while since the squad left the vicinity of the Division One troops, travelling in such a manner did seem a little time-consuming to Tenten, and she was wondering aloud to Yabuza whether moving the injured to the medical camp was the best idea.

"Well, HQ did send the orders for the divisions' medics to assemble there," the Iwa youth was now massaging his own shoulders as best as he could, having hardly had any rest ever since he was activated to help the troop's dwindling number of medics. "After the first squad left, Kurotsuchi came to us with instructions to move our severely injured patients as well, so here we are."

Tenten acknowledged his response with a slight nod as she joined him on the grass, surveying the rest of their comrades who were all glad to take this temporary breather. Though her aim was to leave the group as surreptitiously as she could, she wanted to ascertain that there was enough manpower within the squad, even if she had not been actually activated initially. Apart from the five patients including Takuma, Kurotuschi was leading a total of thirteen other personnel; while this was not a great number, it should be more than sufficient to handle this particular mission. Besides, with such a skilful and resourceful leader, even if they met with any resistance or stray Zetsu clones, it should not be a significant problem.

"Dawn is breaking," Mugi yawned as he pulled his muscular arms upwards into a much-needed stretch while seating himself clumsily beside them. "Heuchima's preparing some rations, and we're setting off soon after breakfast. We should reach the medical camp in a few hours."

As her two comrades drifted off to slumber, the Konoha Chunin raised her eyes to the pink morning sky – true enough, the sun was making its way to bless the horizon with its majesty, scattering its rays all over the land. Tenten closed her eyes momentarily as the sunshine kissed her cheeks, the welcomed warmth lingering only a few seconds before her skin got used to the sensation. The distant chirps and croaks enhanced the serene setting, broken only by Mugi's snores, and Tenten silently mourned the fact that she would not be able to bask in this peaceful atmosphere for much longer than a few more moments.

She thought she had kept a vigilant eye in order not to arouse any suspicion from her travelling companions, who were mostly taking forty winks. Thus, as she crept away, taking care not to wake anyone up, she was caught totally off-guard when she came face to face with the dark-haired female whom she had had the honour of calling a comrade while caught in the midst of one of the fiercest battles of her young life.

"Now where do you think you're going, young lady?"

Seeing Kurotsuchi leaning against a battered tree, wearing a knowing smirk, brought back the annoyance she had initially felt when she first encountered the Iwa Jounin. Evidently, that teeny-weeny bit of frustration had been totally erased from existence earlier, but somehow, it was now returning to find its way to snake its way up Tenten's spine, as she attempted to maintain her composure with a hurriedly plastered smile. During the journey thus far, she had hardly exchanged a word with General Kitsuchi's spirited daughter – in fact, she seemed to be displaying a lack of recognition of Tenten's presence all this time, as if the two were merely fellow shinobi carrying out a mission together for the very first time.

"I'd been noticing the way you kept studying the terrain," the other female in the squad was now saying, lips still curved upwards in an irritating fashion, eyebrows still arched in that haughty way. "And I deduced that … you must have another reason for following us on this little trip that we're taking, apart from helping us take care of your precious friend on a stretcher. Am I wrong?"

Tenten shook her head in defeat, silently lamenting that her plan was over before it had even started. She was increasingly confused by the weird hostility that the other party was exhibiting, but just as she was about to locate her voice-box, Kurotsuchi suddenly changed her demeanour and suddenly broke into peals of laughter.

"I'm just teasing you, Tenten!"

The bewildered Chunin raised her own eyebrows at this sudden switch in personality, but before long, it seemed as if her fears were unfounded. The two girls fell into an uncomfortable silence for a while before Tenten decided to come clean with her plans, thoughts that she had kept to herself for the past few hours ever since she had that conversation with Ino in the medical tent.

"So… this Neji… he's important to you? Then you should go to him. Take this route, it should help you get there faster."

Utterly overwhelmed by the turn of events, Tenten stared incredulously at the map Kurotsuchi had removed from within her brown flak jacket; how fortunate was she to actually get such unwarranted support from a kindred spirit, one who had absolutely no need to pander to such a rash decision and childish whim?

"Why… why are you doing this?" Tenten whispered cautiously, wary that the others might have been awakened by their voices since they were not that far away from the squad. "I mean… I'm grateful and all…but… I don't understand why you're supportive of this… this idea."

"Well I don't actually," the young woman shrugged the question off with a sigh, followed by a mischievous wink and a pat on her friend's shoulder. "But I sense that this is something that you really want, and after what you've been through today, I thought you could really use a break from it all and go for what your heart desires. Now quick… scoot off before the rest finds you missing. I'll try to cover for you."

Without another moment's hesitance, Tenten took off with the map in her right hand, moving speedily in silence as Kurotsuchi's words replayed in her mind for the next few minutes. A weird sense of unease seemed to be eating her from within as the greenery whizzed past her; she found herself leaping up the low branches of trees at half her usual speed, as if her ankles were strapped on with Lee's training weights. Doubts were forming in her mind as steadily as she was traversing the high elements; every time her sandaled feet bounced off one sturdy bough and landed on another, the cheery voice of her fellow female fatale seemed to reverberate resoundingly in her mind.

"Her words… so … generic… hardly any form of recognition… of me… of even Yabuza and Mugi…"

Just then, her muddled thoughts were rudely interrupted by the unmistakable sounds of a battle occurring a distance ahead, the cries and clangs decidedly jarring in the wee hours of the morning. Without further ado, Tenten propelled herself forward, keeping her eyes peeled and ears sharp as she continued using the trees as her highway, hoping that whoever was at the battle site were still safe from harm.

"_Doton! Kengan no Jutsu_!"

The familiar command notwithstanding, it was the stark recognition of the user's voice that sent a chill down Tenten's spine and beads of perspiration trickling down her flushed face. Muttering under her breath that it could not be what she was fearing, the teen leapt across the fresh dewy air one last time and somersaulted downwards from the trees. Her heart plummeted to its greatest depths, for her inner fears were undeniably confirmed when she landed behind some bushes and witnessed, to her horror, that the lone shinobi who was involved in yet another skirmish with the enemy was none other than the Iwa female warrior and her earlier fellow combatant, Kurotsuchi.

And what made the sense of dread gnaw even more at the pit of Tenten's stomach was the recognition of one of the several Edo Tensei adversaries Kurosutchi was facing, none other than the wielder of the unique Crystal Release _Kekkei Genkai_, Guren.


	39. Chapter 39

**Part 6: If The Shoe Fits (5)**

Pink crystalline shards thrust themselves deep into several tree trunks, scattering bark and wood all over. A dirty green smokescreen was being unleashed from the other end of the clearing, its intent to blind the opponent and manipulate the outcome of the battle as clear as it was cloudy. Retaliating with a swift summon of a rock wall that exploded out of the ground just in time, the short-haired young woman fell back as half a dozen more pink spikes pierced through the muddy construct. Cursing audibly, she had only a few more seconds to catch her breath before the next wave of projectiles broke the wall apart. Rolling out of harm's way, the Iwa female was just about to activate another of her various _Kekkai Genkai_ techniques, when a figure darted swiftly past her with two scrolls twisting and turning outwards, expelling several objects forcefully with purpose and urgency.

"_Futon_ Fuma Shuriken!"

Scouring their way across the arena, the eight gigantic shurikens reduced the thick smokescreen to little more than almost invisible wisps, the wind energy that accompanied them doing its job in mere seconds. Tenten directed the spinning blades towards the adversaries who leapt of harm's way as quickly as they could, her eyes immediately taking in the number of opponents they were facing, knowing fully well when three of her weapons were about to hit their targets that they were simply clones; true enough, the shurikens cut through three plumes of brown smoke and embedded themselves in the ground.

"They're Kigiri's smoke clones all right," she whispered to herself as the six figures, a dozen metres away, raised their torsos as they themselves studied their new opponent with a hint of recognition. "Looks like those pesky Otogakure ninja from Guren's team have all been resurrected by Kabuto."

"Tenten!" Kurotsuchi's chirpy voice filled the surrounding air with a tinge of delight as she threw her right arm across her comrade's shoulder and gripped it firmly. "What are you…"

"Kurotsuchi-san, we have to deal with them quickly," Tenten's fierce whisper gave the other girl reason to pause; her eyes stayed glued to the Edo Tensei zombies who were bracing themselves for the next stage in battle. "There's a White Zetsu clone who has taken your form… and she… she's leading a squad of shinobi to the medical camp. They… they're in grave danger… she must be leading them to a trap."

Acknowledging the severity of the situation, Kurotsuchi nodded without asking any question, knowing fully well that a difference in minutes could be a matter of life and death. She turned to face Guren and her henchmen as well, grateful for a fellow comrade's aid, especially one whom she had shared such intense moments with during their earlier battle against the enemy, and one who seemed to have some inkling of their current enemies.

Before they could exchange pointers, however, the group launched their next assault. The one Tenten recognised as Kiho was now aiming his wrist-device at their direction, sending a barrage of smoke spheres to once again create a thick cloud of smoke. Before the pasty looking zombie could detonate his grenades at his will, Tenten's ice-kunais had already frozen each and every one of them; with her keen sense of accuracy, those spheres were rendered useless within a few moments. Just as the purple cloaked man was re-charging his projectiles, his stumpy form was viciously enveloped in an earth construct that swallowed him up greedily from below. Four shiny kunai, with explosive tags streaking behind, whizzed towards the entrapped figure and finished the job, sending his resurrected form flying apart in the ensuing explosion together with the remnants of his earthy prison.

The duo continued their partnership, keeping their bodies nimble and alert as they were flanked from all directions. With his smokescreen so easily dissipated, Kigiri went on the offensive this time, creating multiple balls of flame that hurtled towards the girls, forcing them to take evasive measures and clash head on with their opponents. Tenten blocked the tall and tanned Rinji's physical attack with a bo-staff; as she shoved him back using her upper body strength, she thrust the wooden pole through his chest. Manoeuvring her weapon with ease and expertise, she sent the man flailing haplessly up into the air, following it with a few projectiles that delivered multiple cuts to his body as he attempted unsuccessfully to avoid them, his movements restricted by the staff. As he fell back to the ground, the Chunin boldly hacked her way down with a battle-axe, removing his head from his torso with sheer determination to end this fight as quickly as possible. Detecting movement behind her, she turned and flung her axe at the weird and creepy Nurari, the weapon spinning and making its way towards him with brute force. Unfortunately, the mass of viscous liquid that he had summoned from his suit was used as a protective shield, causing the axe to drop to the ground with a dull thud.

"Damn… that's how he stopped my weapons before… Kurotsuchi's abilities are more suited to take him out," Tenten mumbled as memories from all those months ago were extracted from her memory bank, refreshing her knowledge of these villains as she unsealed her trusty Chinese swords now crackling with lightning energy. "It seems that Kabuto's taken away their personalities… apart from attacking us, they don't seem to be responding much otherwise."

True to Tenten's observation, the remaining zombies were acting like mindless killing machines, with nary a form of communication occurring between them. It was as if they were simply puppets being controlled by Kabuto's strings; whether they were engaged in taijutsu combat or moulding their _Kekkei Genkai_ abilities as offensive or defensive measures, the grey sclera of their eyes was almost completely devoid of emotion as they fought, even when they were on the receiving end of either Kurotsuchi's powerful _Doton_ punches or Tenten's vicious slashes.

The indomitable Gozu, even in his current soulless form, seemed to be still adopting his usual custodial stance, constantly shielding Guren from Kurotsuchi's blows. His zealous vigilance in safeguarding his personal charge was causing the Iwa female to fume inwardly, her pink eyes flashing in irritation, as once again his formidable ability to alter his body mass was efficacious in protecting the blue-haired zombie from her Earth Flow Spears, at the expense of getting his own malleable body skewered by the mud and stone spikes that protruded from the ground.

" _Yoton_! _Sekkaigyo no Jutsu_!"

Turning a quick somersault into the air and using one of her signature moves, the irate female expelled a large quantity of quicklime from her mouth, the thick, viscous substance restricting Gozu's movements even further when it hardened after Kurotsuchi followed her initial blast almost instantaneously with her Water Trumpet technique.

"Finally! Tenten, blow him apart!" Landing quickly before attempting to make her way towards Guren again, Kurotsuchi wore a triumphant sneer, the familiar resonance of Tenten's explosive-tagged kunai following her successful attacks being sweet music to her ears. "Three down, three to go!"

"Careful, Kurotsuchi-san," Tenten exclaimed as she flipped towards her and away from Nurari's own projectiles. "Guren is a powerful kunoichi and is well-versed in many techniques. Her crystal _Kekkei Genkai_ … very unorthodox! My teammate Lee and I could barely hold our own against her, even when she was weakened. In fact, I'm surprised that we're able to take them down this easily."

"Come on, girl!" the Iwa kunoichi snickered as she stood back-to-back with her Konoha comrade. "After what we went through yesterday… how you used the Bashosen against Kakuzu's masks… you should be more confident! Heck, you're now using the fan's elemental powers so effectively with your weapons!"

Tenten could not help but manage a small smile at her friend's seemingly cocky words, half-heartedly agreeing with them. Still, time was of essence and the guilt that she was harbouring about leaving Mugi, Yabuza and the rest of the squad in such a dangerous, critical situation was gnawing at her nerves repeatedly. Besides, while Kurotsuchi's dauntlessness would usually have been infectious for a plucky girl like Tenten, she was warily conscious of the seconds ticking away rapidly and that their most recent victories were possibly due to Kabuto having eradicated their enemies' personalities.

It was as if the malevolent mastermind could read minds from a vast distance away, for just as Tenten was about to voice her insecurities and concerns to her fellow female fighter, her voice caught in her throat as a voice that she had been acquainted more than a year ago reached her ears; she felt Kurotsuchi's torso tense up as well as she swerved around, both of them maintaining their battle-ready stance.

"Well well well… what do we have here? Two kunoichi from the Shinobi Alliance," Guren's luscious, red lips curved seductively upwards as she drawled out her words purposefully, her eyes gradually re-ignited and losing their previous greyness. "It's been some time since we've met, I presume, Konoha brat. Now that I have my mind returned to me, let's see how this game will change, shall we?"


	40. Chapter 40

**Part 6: If The Shoe Fits (6)**

"_Kessho! Rokkaku Shuriken Ranbu!_"

There was little need for either kunoichi to shout any warning to each other, since the only logical action to adopt at that moment was to evade the vast amount of crystal shuriken flying their way. From the corner of her eye, Tenten spied the slinky form of Nurari advancing forward, his big round eyes now shining gleefully and his mouth wide open revealing his gleaming teeth flashing painfully in the sunlight, the crazed look plastered on his face reminiscent of the time he and his fellow lackeys had been powered up enough to take down Kiba, Lee and Tenten during their second confrontation. Responding to his attempt to grab and trap her within his slime suit, the Konoha Chunin simply charged at him with her twin swords, never expecting her opponent to have dislocated his own joints and controlling his softened body with chakra. Genuinely flabbergasted when Nurari, still cackling madly away, stretched and twisted his body away from the blades slicing sharply through the air, she took a second to re-orientate her bearings, but that mere moment proved to be her undoing.

The malleable villain coiled himself steadfastly around Tenten's torso within two seconds, rendering her helpless with a tight squeeze that caused her twin swords to clatter to the ground. Stunned, the stricken girl felt the elongated form of her opponent exert such a petrifying force in his vise-like grip, her ribs almost collapsing under the mounting pressure. Gasping for air and relief, Tenten pushed vainly, feebly, at the sickeningly grimy surface of his body suit, her mind almost imploding under the unyielding tenacity that her deranged captor was placing her young, weakened body under.

"Never expected such a trick from me, did you?" Nurari's cringe-worthy, high-pitched voice somehow found its way to her ear-drums, the feminine squeak almost failing to register in Tenten's tortured mind. "Always thought of me as the helpless, useless clown, right? Look who's laughing now, except me of course!"

His maniacal guffaws pierced into her thoughts painfully, in tandem with the seconds ticking loudly in her mind now, counting down the remaining time she had before she would pass out from the lack of air entering her lungs. The two figures observing this skirmish from a distance were blurring up right before her eyes, the light dimming, the innumerable spots in her hazy vision indicating how close she was to losing consciousness.

That was when she realised there were only two observers, when there were supposed to be three.

Just as the other remaining male zombie yelled out for his buffoon of a comrade to "watch out for the other bitch", to the immeasurable relief that flooded through Tenten's distressed, incapacitated body, she felt Nurari's hold on her loosen drastically – Kurotsuchi had shot up from beneath the ground right behind the duelling pair, catching Guren's henchman unawares. Her right fist encrusted with an adamantine layer of rock, the intrepid woman sent a cutting punch right across his face, the forcible impact throwing Nurari totally off-guard and off his game, his lengthened, slackened body sprawling messily across a huge boulder a few metres away.

Tenten fell into her friend's arms; she barely had enough seconds to catch two quick intakes of breath before the two girls had to scamper away from the sharp and pointed pink and white crystals that were raining down on them at devastating speed. She replied Kurotsuchi's concerned "Are you all right?" with a shaky tremble, feeling her diaphragm expand greedily, her ribs freed from the crippling confines of Nurari's menacing grasp. She was still light-headed, and had to take the next minute for a more complete recovery up on the high branches of the tree that her comrade had brought her to, her breathing becoming easier as her lungs and ribs adjusted themselves back into position.

"My face… you… you ruined my beautiful face! Come back here, you fiend! I'll kill you!"

The area was filled with Nurari's screechy wails, followed by Kigiri's baritone admonishing his peer for losing his victim. "Fucking lunatic," Kurotsuchi spat, herself seeming to need a few moments to catch her own breath. "We need a plan of some sort to take them out."

"It's not going to be easy, now that Kabuto has returned their minds to them," whispered Tenten, her voice expelled as nothing more than a nasal wheeze. "Guren… she's really quite powerful. And my techniques don't work well against that loon… if I don't remember wrongly, he's more susceptible to _Yoton_. We… we'll have to strategise and not just rush them blindly…"

Below, in the clearing that had become a battle dome, the blue-haired kunoichi remained as collected as before while her black and red sclera scoured the place for her targets. Leaving her men to their own devices for a while – Nurari was now whining mournfully in his friend's arms, with Kirigi tenderly caressing the supposedly bruised cheek – Guren took a few steps forward as she balled her hands into clenched fists. The two girls were resourceful, that she had to admit, and with them working in sync with each other so well, they could prove to be a minor problem and prevent her from carrying out her orders as swiftly as she had planned. The mere fact that her personality had been returned to her meant that Kabuto must have noticed the abilities of these two opponents, and reckoned that it would be more prudent that her team regained their consciousness. Of course, if he had any idea how her men were acting at the moment, cooing sweet nothings to each other, he might probably have had second thoughts. Sniggering slightly at the thought, the resurrected woman turned her head slightly towards their direction, and felt a pang in her belly, not one of revulsion but rather that of admiration – even after death, even after all the atrocities Kabuto's Edo Tensei techniques were succumbing their restless souls to, these two remained as devoted to each other as they had been when they were alive.

Her calm mind returned to the memory of her consciousness being brought back from the dark realms – her first thought was about the kunai embedded in the base of her head, followed almost immediately by memories of the last moments of her short life. The almost impossible image of Gozu being impaled by Ameyuri Ringo's lightning imbued _Kiba_ and then blown apart by Jinpachi Munashi's explosive _Shibuki _had been quickly replaced by the burning memory of her teary young charge being held prisoner by a stoic Mangetsu Hozuki; her last waking memory was of course of that of Jinin Akebino's sneering leer as he brought his _Kabutowari _blunt sword down towards her, her immobile body having been unceremoniously stitched up by _Nuibari_, the narrow long-sword wielded by Kushimaru Kuriarare and capable of performing terrifying feats with the long length of thin wire-mirroring thread attached to it. The last words she had heard from the resurrected Kirigakure Swordsman of the Mist had been a gruffly scoffed, "See you in the afterlife, my sweet."

So that was what he'd meant, Guren smiled bitterly, taking a few seconds to analyse the resurrection the remains of her most faithful follower was currently undergoing, bits and pieces of his body parts swirling towards one another in an eerily disconcerting manner. She recalled the extremely short retort she had barked at the maliciously cunning right-hand man of one whom she had served loyally for many years when she was first resurrected, for he had pulled out his trump card almost immediately. Even though she was dead, Guren had felt the dismal pain that was searing into her gut once Kabuto brought up the subject of the boy, subduing her so easily with mere words that held such hope and promise, even if she knew at the back of her skewered head that they could simply have been manipulative lies geared for her to do his bidding without reservation.

"You're doing this for Yukimaru, aren't you?"

Jolted out of her reverie by the voice of one that had, only minutes ago, had her life almost snuffed out, Guren balked at the bold words that had arrested her attention so easily, signalling for her two men to hold back. Even though she must have had hardly any time to recover properly from her most recent trauma, the young Konoha teen was now walking steadily on her own towards her, her dark brown strands floating gently in the mild breeze, utterly dauntless. There was however, a tinge of sympathy reflected in her doe-like eyes that were now holding her own gaze, and Guren felt a prickle of resentment at the girl's brazen behaviour.

"I'm dead, my dear girl," her raspy voice came out as nonchalant to Tenten's query as it could. "Whatever has happened to Yukimaru… has nothing to do with me."

"You know, and I know, that is not true. Based on what Naruto told us…"

"Doesn't matter, Konoha cur. It doesn't matter anymore. I'm dead and Yukimaru can easily be dead as well, so…"

"But you don't know for certain, can you? That's how Kabuto is keeping his hold over you… how he's making you do his dirty work."

"Evil is just evil, little girl," Guren managed a feeble attempt to follow her words with a laugh, feeling the unexplainable wave of emotion enveloping her cold body. "I have little reason to… you do know that you can't get to me can you? Kabuto can just take my personality away again right this moment and I'll be attacking and killing you in moments."

"Except that you're listening to me right now, and not doing anything else. I… I'm sorry what became of you and Yukimaru…Naruto… he was utterly upset when he learnt of his passing, as were the rest of us. He… he had a kind and gentle soul." Tenten dropped her eyes to the ground dramatically, feeling her heart pound painfully against her chest. Using Guren's unquestionable love and devotion for the compassionate and understanding boy, she took in the effect her words had on the zombie, feeling a little guilty that she had to make use of Yukimaru's memory to aid her current predicament.

True enough, the woman's eyebrows furrowed at Tenten's latest words, her body bristling visibly as she comprehended what had been revealed none too subtly. Whatever strength and conviction she had belayed in her words earlier were now for naught, for Guren now collapsed to her knees, the news of Yukimaru's demise contorting her face into a mess of woe and pain. Kabuto had indeed lied to her after all…

"Shut up, you stupid bitch! And what do you think you're doing with that stupid looking thing? You think you can now take us out with such a useless piece of trash?"

It was at Kirigi's holler that Guren raised her head up to look at the girl again, and the sight that greeted her sent yet another rush of incredulity through her being, for this young teenager barely in the cusp of womanhood, was holding in her right hand, a mystical ninja tool that had been mastered by the Sage of the Six Paths, the legendary Banana Leaf fan, the _Bashosen_. In a state of awestruck disbelief, she took a few seconds to respond but was just about to command Kirigi and Nurari to retreat, when the two kunoichi's plan came to fruition.

"_Doton! Sando no Jutsu!"_

As the ground rumbled in response to the other kunoichi who was hidden out of sight, the dozen weighted chains that that flew out of Tenten's scroll completed their task by keeping the three zombies in check. In one swift motion, the two rock wall formations that had thundered their way upwards from the ground closed in on them from both sides, smashing their resurrected bodies into oblivion.

As the dust settled, Tenten was about to turn back to face the cheering Kurotsuchi bounding up towards her, when the sky darkened considerably, casting flitting shadows on the surrounding ground. Before the two could retaliate to the blanket of black bats that had appeared seemingly out of nowhere, the ultrasonic waves produced by the swarming winged creatures brought them back to the ground, their minds being suddenly assaulted and their sense of equilibrium taking a hundred and eighty degree turn .

In the midst of the disequilibrium, as she struggled to block out the bats' sonar attack by covering her ears, Tenten detected two figures who were watching from the top of the dome of Kurotsuchi's Rock Sandwich technique. Whatever little her mind could register in its current state caused the bile to rise in her throat, for while just less than a minute ago their scheme had seemed to work, Guren was now glaring at them from above, together with the once again resurrected form of Rinji.


	41. Chapter 41

**Part 6: If The Shoe Fits (7)**

The green leafy exterior of the forest canopy was engulfed by velvety black creatures flapping their thin membranes precociously in the air, casting a broad length of shadow around the area, blocking out the magnificent sun rays that were vainly attempting to pierce through the black cloud on this warm morning. His footsteps never waning, the veins around his white eyes constricted even more as his activated prowess allowed him to zoom in on his target spot on. Grimly taking in the ghastly situation that had unfolded, the male Konoha shinobi felt his heartbeat quicken and hastened his steps, speeding past trees and bushes as he bade his fellow comrades to hurry up and muttered under his breath for the young kunoichi to hang in there.

"Is he alive or dead? Tell me!"

Grimacing in unadulterated agony as she tried to regain control of her mind, Konoha's mistress of ninja tools could hardly discern what her adversary was yelling from atop the rocky dome that had crushed two of her men in its wake. It felt as if the bats were transmitting their never-ending, ear-splitting squeaks directly into her brain and shifting her brain matter around to their will, for at that moment, she was not even certain if she was standing on her two feet or lying helplessly on her back. As she attempted to make sense of the new world that she had been acrimoniously plunged into, she could sense a torrent of energy surging from her right palm up her forearm. As unorthodox as it seemed, she felt as if the hilt of the fan that she was still holding on to was speaking to her, reminding her of the power she was wielding in her hand.

"I… I cannot fall here…" she grunted weakly, her muddled mind regaining a sliver of momentum against the bats' vicious ultrasonic waves. "I … I have to get to… to … Neji…"

It was at this very moment, that a command that she was so accustomed to during the countless missions she had been on, found its way to her disconcerted thoughts. While it seemed highly improbable that her prayers were being so miraculously answered, the unmistakable bellow did greatly resemble the one that she had heard her beloved teammate cry out ever so often in the midst of heated battles and rigorous training sessions. Her heart skipped a beat as the resounding reverberation that followed this Hyuga imperative tore through the air, and she knew that very soon, she would have to follow through with a move on her own, just like all those times when she had done so together as she worked in perfect synchrony with her team.

"_Hakke Kushou!_"

Kurotsuchi's rocky dome imploded the second this particular Hyuga Gentle Fist technique hit its surface, the impact of the compressed vacuum shell blowing up the gargantuan structure and sending debris scattering all over. With the user of the bat-controlling technique knocked off his feet in the middle of the rocky explosion, the surrounding bats flew into a tumultuous frenzy, their previous control thrown into the wind without Rinji's prowess as they found themselves under the blinding rays of the merciless sun.

Struggling valiantly as she summoned every ounce of energy and self-control to get to her feet, the kunoichi staggered slightly as she raised the ethereal weapon that she had stored for the past few hours in her right scroll, her fuzzy mind attempting to focus on her rescuer, the adrenaline running through her body as the possibility of her teammate appearing so suddenly, right here at her time of need, caused her heartbeat to accelerate so quickly that breathing seemed to hurt. Nevertheless, the mass of winged creatures had to be taken care of before the Edo zombie regained his bearings and started controlling them again. Trembling slightly as she took in a deep, painful breath that seemed to be a cautionary warning once again of the side effects of using the mystical fan, Tenten braced herself as the cloud of rock and dust settled around the vicinity, and, with a robust holler that betrayed little of the rising need for her to hurl, she activated the momentous powers of the mysterious ninja tool once again.

" '_Bashosen' Hi no Maki!_"

A split second of tense, impatient silence awaited Tenten as she tersely vaulted towards the air-borne creatures and waved the fan, before an enormous trail of ferocious flames erupted in the wake of her swing and hurtled towards the bats, trapping them in its intense heat that was burning every creature that had been caught in the coil of fire. It was a sight to behold, as the torrent of red-hot flames swirled itself upwards to catch more of the flapping victims, searing each and every one of them into crisps within moments. The air was immediately filled with the black remnants that floated their way to the ground, in a manner that was as gentle as the quick, painless way the creatures had met their death in the clutches of the hellish flames. Tenten's descent back to the ground was much less graceful than the charred remains of Rinji's furry winged rodents; she fell back the few feet she had scaled through the air as soon as the flames were unleashed by the Bashosen, and landed painfully on her rear with a clumsy thud.

"Tenten!"

Kurotsuchi's anxious cry of her comrade's name was quickly followed by her command of "_Doton! Taju Doryuheki!_" that must have activated yet another Earth Release technique that the skilful kunoichi had up her sleeve. Her head was throbbing as her eyes flew open, the tremors she felt to her right directing where she turned her face towards. Rinji's flabbergasted look disappeared from view as four rock walls rose from the ground and trapped him within, with Kurotsuchi diving into the enclosure at once from above. The muffled sounds of the scuffle that ensued were over in less than five seconds, and as Tenten sat herself up, she was almost blaming her hazy vision for the blurry image of the Iwa female flipping down from the crown of the rock prison together with the fan that she had just wielded a while ago. That was when she realised she was no longer holding on to the Bashosen, and that she must have blacked out for more than a few seconds. The paralysing knowledge that she would have lost the treasured tool if not for the fellow kunoichi's quick wits, sent a wave of fear and revulsion through her entire being, helping to clear her senses as she reached her hand out desperately towards Kurotsuchi.

"He must have received orders to retrieve this baby," the Iwa female was wearing her usual sneer as she presented the fan back to her friend. "I woke up to find him by your side and must have scared him off when I got up. He tried to take off with the Bashosen… thank goodness I managed to stop him, huh?"

As she was about show her gratitude with a multitude of thanks ready at the back of her throat, it seemed that Kurotsuchi could not catch a break and that there was a conspiracy to prevent her from basking in the throes of victory – the sounds of battle reached their ears and brought them back to reality. Remembering the excitement that had escalated within her being earlier, Tenten expelled a very audible proclamation of "Neji!" as she shot up to her feet. Before the other girl could stop her, she was racing her way towards the one being that had been causing her heart to ache, the breath catching in her throat as she lunged forward.

"_Hakkesho Kaiten_!"

The rotating sphere of spiralling blue chakra was a sight for Tenten's sore eyes, the low hum following the swirling energy as it parried Guren's crystal projectiles away music to her ears. Barely noticing the Edo female who was flipping quickly away, nor the second appearance of her servant Gozu, she waited with bated breath to catch sight of the youth she knew would slow his spinning soon, the burning desire to see the face of one so dear to her almost rendering her speechless.

True enough, in the next few moments, the strapping figure of a male clad in Konoha's signature green flak jacket came into view; as he was powering down, his long, jet black hair whipped across the air in the wake of his clan's secret _taijutsu_ move, concealing his pale face from Tenten's eager, stricken eyes. Before her yearning could be satisfied however, the towering figure of Gozu blocked the Hyuga from sight as he made to pounce on him. The powerful bolt of wind energy that was once again released from her Konoha comrade's Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm repelled the hapless attacker from mid-air, and Tenten's mounting elation and moving feet screeched to a halt at the same time when the user revealed himself to be the undisputed head of one of Konoha's most renowned clans, Hyuga Hiashi.


	42. Chapter 42

**Part 6: A Friend in Need (4)**

"We… we should have gone with him… to make sure that she's all right…"

"But… we have to ensure the others are safe as well…"

"I know you're worried, but we have to look at the bigger picture here. Let's focus on our task. It seems like there could be others in danger as well."

The female bit her lower lip, agitated that for the first time, in a very long time, she was being outvoted. It was certainly not a feeling that she was used to; being one of the most rational among her batch of teen shinobi had usually ensured that she was on the same page with at least one of her teammates, the spiky-haired youth renowned both for his quirky, casual laziness but also much respected for his remarkable intelligence and high levels of perception. While she might not possess the same acumen and discernment as him, she was still considerably more level-headed than the third team member, who was usually much more used to letting his two friends make do the strategizing, being extremely comfortable in taking a backseat when it came to making tough choices. Thus, she was now slightly irked that the tide had turned, and she was evidently the more emotional one in the picture.

"It's all your fault, Chouji!" Even though her mind was admonishing her for being this childish, Ino could not help blurting out this harsh reprimand, her shrill voice reaching an even higher pitch than usual. "If it wasn't for you, Tenten wouldn't even have been able to leave the camp!"

Silence, except for the rhythmic urgency of their fast-moving feet, fuelled the tension among the trio as they sped past trees and bushes with their arms thrown behind their torsos to aid their momentum. Before Shikamaru could pipe in to defend his best friend, he was utterly astounded, when Chouji found his own voice and retorted sharply with a "That's not being very fair to me, Ino, and you know it."

Blinking in disbelief as she did a double-take while she tried to register those words from her rotund friend, the blonde turned to eye the Akimichi youth, who was returning her startled, shimmering blue-eyed stare with a grim expression, a look that yet, still portrayed his soft and gentle side. The kunoichi felt her own forehead relax considerably, and the muscles around her mouth and jaw slacken, as Chouji embarked on one of his most sombre expositions ever, in his usual heartfelt and earnest way.

"Tenten should not have done what she did. We made our stand very clear to her, about what's been going on. Earlier, she had already indicated that she would not act so rashly. I know she went through a lot while fighting all those treacherous villains yesterday, and something's made her change her mind about not seeking Neji out, but you know and I know, that she should not be doing this. Not only is she jeopardising her own safety, she's not being very responsible with the way she's been lying to us and to her friends in the medical squad. What we can do now, is to reach them as quickly as we can, and pray that Hiashi-sama's instincts are wrong for once."

Ino's cheeks were burning furiously and she scowled when she spied Shikamaru's annoying smirk that was brimming with clear bemusement and condescension. Deep in her heart, however, Chouji's words had never made more sense than now, and despite feeling more than a tinge of embarrassment, she was secretly wildly euphoric that her once spluttering and self-conscious teammate had now become so much more assured in the span of a day, albeit it being such a life-changing one for all three of them.

She also had to admit that, no matter how defensive she could be about her friend's actions since she had witnessed first-hand how Tenten had been severely scourged during her horrific mind-rape by that vile Akiya impersonator, Chouji was being absolutely right. Tenten was indeed letting her emotions rule her head, and no matter how many acts of heroism she had performed in the last twenty-four hours, they simply could not justify the current path she was taking. Even if she did not mean to vilify her friend behind her back, through the critical situations she had gone through since this wretched war began barely a day ago, Ino knew that no matter how difficult trying and onerous it could be, there was always a need to take a step back and focus on the greater good. Wielding the Bashosen during this time could have been Tenten's destiny, but that did mean she could ride on its vast power as an excuse to do whatever she liked.

"The ground… I can feel tremors… someone's activating their _Doton_ techniques!"

With that curt remark from Shikamaru, the trio hastened their pace as they prepped themselves for yet another battle. Ino felt a chill travel down her spine as a new fear arose in her, as she caught sight of several figures flying through the air a hundred metres or so ahead. While Tenten's earlier acts of rashness had always somehow worked themselves out into audacious but stalwart feats that were more than praiseworthy, the Yamanaka teen had this throbbing, aching sense of foreboding that this time, her friend might end up chastising herself very soon.

It was at this very moment, just as the Ino-Shika-Cho gang was about to activate their respective clan jutsus on this sunny morning, that a severed head landed with a squishy plop right in front of them, the red traditional fang-like tattoo on either cheek revealing it to have belonged to a fellow Konoha warrior and Ino's comrade from Division Five, Hana Inuzuka.


	43. Chapter 43

**Part 6: If The Shoe Fits (8)**

The lone squirrel pricked its ears, its black, moist nose sniffing the air inquisitively. The morning air seemed to be permeated by a stark burning smell, yet the creature's senses were not able to detect any sign of a forest fire. Its nose twitched as nervously as its furry body was trembling, as it scurried further up the tree, instinctively racing to check for the safety of the nuts it had horded recently, though its tiny brain simply could not register when exactly. As it squeaked its way upwards, its heart pumping furiously in its excitement, its sharp ears picked up sounds of other animals fleeing the vicinity in a frenzy. The convoluted patterns of the distant patters seemed to be forming some sort of discordant melody, which reached its crescendo in swift seconds as dozens of the squirrel's fellow forest foragers scampered past, below its supposedly secure sanctuary up in the tree. Momentarily distracted from the surrounding chaotic scene by rays of sunlight that had found their way through the foliage and streamed their way to cuddle the lone squirrel, it decided to bask in the beauty of nature's warm embrace for just that few seconds. Of course, as Fate would have it, it was during those few moments, that one of Konoha's most respected clan heads chose to unleash his unbridled fury, his Eight Trigrams Mountain Crusher releasing such an unbelievably powerful wave of chakra from his palm that it tore more than a dozen trees apart in its wake. Whether they were having their entrenched roots being ripped from the haven of their underground dwellings, or having their sturdy trunks blown up from their core, those trees soon found themselves strewn unceremoniously all over the dusty area, crushing any living creature unfortunate enough to be collateral damage of Hiashi Hyuga's fearsome techniques, including a silly little squirrel that even in its last moments, was gripping tightly to one of its precious nuts in its tiny paws.

"Come on, Tenten," came Kurotsuchi's fierce whisper, followed by an equally urgent squeeze on her tense shoulder. "He's awesome all right, but we can't let him handle all of them alone. He's going to need back-up soon."

The Konoha kunoichi nodded quietly as she rose to her feet, erasing the subdued look of defeat she had been donning for the past three minutes. The sense of disappointment of realising that their saviour was actually Neji's uncle instead, had been masterfully swallowed and replaced by a more positive one of gratitude and hope. As she emerged from the bushes together with her loyal friend, she reminded herself that even though the older Hyuga had hastily informed the duo that he had already sent her Ino-Shika-Cho trio of friends to aid Mugi and the rest in dealing with the Kurosutchi imposter, she badly needed to rush back to her friends to verify that everyone was unscathed from her audacious act of folly.

"Tenten," Hiashi was already greeting her with a slight look of disapproval, even as he kept his eyes peeled for their adversaries; Guren and her men seemed to have beaten a temporary retreat in the midst of his latest offensive assault that had thrown the abode of numerous creatures into erosive disarray. "I told you to stay back. Your chakra levels are still not restored to normal levels... you need to…"

"I'm fine, Hiashi-sama," Tenten tried to dispel the shakiness in her voice, as she stood herself steadily beside Hinata's father. "I've sealed the Bashosen into my scroll, so we don't have to worry about having my chakra drained for now."

"She'll be able to use the fan's prowess safely for now, sir. Let us just concentrate on taking those Edo Tensei zombies down," muttered Kurotsuchi who had taken the spot on Tenten's left, flanking her comrade in a protective manner. "They must be trying to regain their bearings after you totally showed them you meant business. Well done, old man! Very impressive!"

The two Konoha shinobi shared a quick look, one's eyes filled with mild shock and amusement, the other's shimmering in embarrassment and disbelief at her friend's lack of etiquette. Still, this was no time to squabble over mundane matters, since Hiashi's abrupt turn to the back indicated that his Byakugan had established the position of the enemy.

"Someone's invisible… Tenten! Thirty metres away, right at that clump of bushes!"

The adrenaline coursed through her veins as she released a stream of explosive-tagged kunai, the moment overtly familiar to the type of teamwork she was used to in her own team - Neji's voice found its way to invade the recesses of her mind once again. The resultant explosions revealed the snaky form of Nurari, who now punctuated the air with acerbic profanities as he skulked away hurriedly back into the trees.

"They've all been resurrected again, damn it," Kurotsuchi spat, matching Nurari's string of expletives with a few curses of her own.

"The Sealing Corps members I brought along with me are standing by," Hiashi spoke calmly. "At the moment, they haven't been discovered by our enemy yet, based on what I'm observing right now."

"We'd better stay close to their location, just in case," said Tenten. "The six of them have re-grouped and will do whatever they need to gain the upper hand. We can't let them find the Sealing Team."

There was no more time for any discussion once the anomalies made their presence known. As if this was their last stand, the six zombies appeared all together this time, charging from all directions in their desperation to take the Alliance shinobi down. Before long, the landscape was being ravaged once again by various forms of jutsus being activated, filled with the sounds of the elements and weaponry.

Kiho's _Enryu _came into view, the dragon of smoke unleashed as a continuous stream from the user's wrist launcher. With its primary objective being to engulf a target and rob him of his ability to breathe, the wispy creature, once freed up from its dungeon, soared through the blusterous cacophony of the various clashes, greedily seeking a victim for its malicious intent. Tenten's first wave of weapons proved utterly worthless against the _Enryu_, and as she got flung into the air courtesy of the rampaging Gozu, she commanded her twin scrolls to twist around her in a protective cocoon of sorts, her own Twin Rising Dragons techniques about to unfold. Once she noticed the futility of her metallic projectiles, her mind raced against time to recall what her comrades from Team 8 had shared during the debriefing session held after their failed attempt to capture the Three Tails.

"Water-based attacks… that's what's going to work against this smoke dragon. Physical attacks are useless," the Chunin's mind was working at top speed as it dug up the voices of her friends from her memory bank. "Kurosutchi's tied up at the moment… let's see what I can do about this."

The pasty form of the smoke dragon's master seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the Konoha girl's predicament, taking in her attempts to dodge and evade his pet jutsu with doses of boisterous cackles. "Let's see what you can do against my dragon, you meddlesome… menace! We've had enough of your … meddling!"

Tenten swerved sharply away from the creature's fourth attempt to envelope her nimble body in its suffocating form, launching herself into the air two steps ahead before it crashed into the very spot she had vacated a split second back. While the temptation to end this senseless dance with the Bashosen was strong, she had noted how Hiashi's _Hakke Hasangeki_ had already demolished a substantial part of the area. Besides, with the Sealing Team members in the vicinity, she could not afford to cause any harm to any unsuspecting shinobi, and definitely her two fellow comrades as well. No longer were they out in the open facing the heartless slaughter by Kakuzu's elemental hearts; within this enclosed battleground, the Bashosen's prowess could prove overwhelming and deadly for everyone present if not kept in check.

"All right then…here goes nothing… _Soushoryuu!"_

Dozens of ice-imbued shurikens shot themselves from Tenten's scroll into the length of smoke, losing their spinning ability once they were trapped within the dragon's translucent body. From the bystander's point of view, it seemed as if Kiho's monster had swallowed a trail of inert shurikens from head to tail, but it was evident to any observer that these star-blades were not exerting any adverse effect.

"It's useless, you stupid girl!"

Ignoring Kiho's caustic remark, Tenten followed her shuriken attack with a staggering wave of almost invisible senbons, filling the air with red-hot needles that were flying rapidly into the smoke dragon. While the second assault seemed to be as useless as the first, the keenly analytical teen's intentions became clear in less than five seconds; each and every one of the senbons pierced through its target, with at least five needles hitting each shuriken. The heat released by this action melted the ice encrusted on each shuriken, the resultant water coming out only in small spurts. However, with dozens of Tenten's shurikens filling the dragon's entire length, the water that was emancipated by the fire-imbued senbons reduced Kiho's jutsu to nothing more than smoke tendrils within moments, dissolving the smoke dragon into oblivion.

"No…impossible! How… how did you…"

Rendered almost speechless, Kiho's open-mouthed stupefaction was thankfully short-lived; Tenten rewarded the zombie's utterly floored reaction with a speedy bout of _taijutsu_ blows. Taking the opportunity of her opponent's confounded bewilderment to rush him, the Chunin hacked and slashed through the white-haired stumpy man with her trusty twin swords, cutting him down within a minute as she combined her thrusts and parries with well-placed, kneecap-shattering kicks. As soon as she drove both blades, crackling with electrifying lightning energy, into the base of the sputtering Kiho's neck, Tenten had to throw herself back into the air with a series of somersaults when Gozu charged at her again with a rabid roar. As she landed neatly on her feet, she felt a tinge of thrill travel through her body as she spied two Sealing Corps shinobi approaching Kiho's incapacitated body with their bales of cloth. Keeping Gozu's attention on her, Tenten summoned a halberd from her scroll and met his punches head on, intending to manipulate more of the Bashosen's elemental abilities into her repertoire, secretly elated that her hasty idea to deal with the _Enryu_ had turned out to be such an ingenious one.

"_Shoton! Hasho Koryu!"_

The earth trembled in the wake of Guren's own enraged bellow, and Tenten had to abandon her scuffle with the team leader's right-hand man, launching the halberd at him with a mighty throw before rushing back to the centre of the clearing to re-group with her comrades. As she reached Kurotsuchi and Hiashi, who were now themselves wearing thunderstruck expressions as they raised their heads in astonishment, Tenten felt her own mouth go dry as she recognised the female Edo's technique, suddenly realising that Guren's move must be in retaliation to her having taken Kiho out once more.

"Let's see if you can get rid of my creature as easily, Tenten of Konoha! You've managed to really rile me up this time!"

Within the next moment, the trio found themselves on the move again, forced to scatter when the freshly summoned construct Guren was now riding on railed down towards them in the form of a gigantic pink crystallised dragon.


	44. Chapter 44

**Part 6: If The Shoe Fits (9)**

_The girl had parried her projectiles easily, whirling her length of chain and sickle instinctively to knock back her unique crystallised constructs with a nary a care, as if they were nothing but pesky flies. She and her partner, a wide-eyed boy clad in green and wearing a ridiculous bowl-cut hairstyle, were both wearing steely looks of determination, ready to protect their comrades. Four female shinobi from Konoha had established a formation of sorts behind the duo, to seal the monster below the water surface with a formidable barrier that was pulsing over the area._

_The ensuing battle had taken longer than she had expected, for she had not thought that the two youths would have been able to hold the fort for such an impressive length of time. While the boy was constantly charging at her with a series of fast punches and swift kicks, the teen girl, clearly an expert in wielding weapons, was playing her role well as a support. It was evident that she was skilled in some form of fuinjutsu, with the ease she was portraying in unleashing myriad projectiles from her scrolls to distract her before her comrade leapt in at her again. Still, she noticed that the girl was constantly keeping a vigilant watch on the sealing team, her eyes peeled for any stray kunai or shuriken that might hit any of her friends. This observation made her develop a grudging respect for the kunoichi; it was obvious that the young girl was holding back on her abilities in order not to hurt her fellow Konoha kunoichi, who were all deeply focused on their task, an operation that she was supposed to have stopped more than ten minutes ago if not for these two brats._

_Even though she was wearing a taunting smirk, she had been mildly surprised that she had had to actually consider summoning one of her most powerful constructs while parrying both the boy's kick and the girl's kunai at the same time with the almost invisible crystal armour she had encased her entire body with. Performing a Boar __ Ram hand seal, she crystallised the surrounding air and turned it into a fearsome dragon as a means of transport and as a weapon to attack with. As the mystical creature materialised from thin air with her atop it, she heard a cry of terror from one of the sealing team. Yet, the fight was still burning steadily in the eyes of the two guardians, the dark-haired boy now drawing her and the dragon away from his teammate with his speedy moves. Her own eyes drew into slits as the fireball the girl had summoned hit her squarely on her forearm, the intensity of the heat actually managing to leave a scorch mark and breaking her crystal armour. Scowling as she turned back to face the girl, she saw that the teen was returning the venomous glare she was shooting at her with an equally vehement look of outright bellicosity. _

Now, even though she was high above the ground atop the head of her crystal dragon once again, she could see that the same girl, now no longer in her white and maroon ensemble but in the signature green flak jacket of her village, was still wearing the same defiant expression. Though she did somehow respect her opponent's strength and sagacity, Guren was infuriated that she had used her weakness against her. As images of Yukimaru's tender and loving smile flashed in her mind, an unexplainable sense of aggression surged within her, and she directed this fury at the young teenager, vowing to quell this thirst for vengeance, that at the moment seemed so necessary and insatiable.

It was as if Guren's men had already anticipated such a scenario even before she barked her orders from her vantage position, for them to take care of the other two shinobi and leave the Konoha girl to her. Proving themselves to be loyal lackeys, all four remaining male Edo Tensei zombies were throwing themselves at the trio within a split second, effectively separating the older man and the young woman from the teen girl. The gargantuan Gozu followed Kigiri's blinding barrage of fireballs with his own utterly unpredictable technique, catching even the fearsome Hiashi, who had previously demonstrated his prowess so formidably, reasonably off-guard. While his mistress had been distracting their accursed adversaries with her crystal dragon formation, he was already channelling his chakra into the earth and transforming it into fine sand, allowing him to dig through it like a mole. Tunnelling through the ground and sensing the Hyuga's position, he waited impatiently until the unmistakable sounds of his comrade's fiery combo, before bursting out of the surface, in a move similar to how Kurotsuchi had rescued her friend from Nurari's death-grip earlier.

His size belying his dexterity as he thundered towards his target, Gozu emitted a mighty growl as he rammed his colossal fist towards Hiashi's direction, his body alteration technique enlarging his whole right arm to startling proportions and increasing his already awe-inspiring strength ten-fold. Never expecting the sudden appearance and astounding speed of this deceptively large opponent, the Hyuya was unable to evade in time nor activate his _Kaiten_ as a defence. Raising his forearms to parry the incoming punch, Hiashi's _Byakugan_ revealed the stupendous amount of chakra swirling around the gigantic fist that would reach him the next second, and he knew that he would probably sustain some extensive injuries.

A guttural cry of pain and anguish echoed around the area, as four razor-sharp Fuma Shuriken, crackling with blue lightning energy, sliced through the air and Gozu's expanded appendage with an eerily surreal resonance. Four almost equally divided portions fell to the ground with a sickly thud, the gigantic fist landing just an inch away from Hiashi's feet, leaving its owner gasping in unadulterated astonishment. Even before he had the chance to react, he saw that his fellow Konoha shinobi was already bounding away from Guren's approaching steed, giving him a cheeky wink as she took to the air again with her unfurled scrolls. With his bearings regained, Hiashi could not help but give a low chuckle as he approached the aghast Kigiri and the stolid Gozu, who was once again on his feet and wearing that same stoic expression despite the agony he must be enduring, seemingly impassive and unfazed by the devastating amputation that had just taken place. As the Hyuga clan head readied himself to inflict more damage with his _Juken_ moves, he stole a fleeting glance at the brown-haired girl who was retaliating with yet another resounding volley of her ninja tools to her attacker's crystal shards.

He could now see why his nephew had had that strange, awkward conversation with him just three days ago, a revealing dialogue that demonstrated hidden feelings for his comrade.

Using her _Doton_ techniques to cause the ground to rumble right beneath her, the lanky young woman broke free from the spindly grasp of her slimy captor, successively throwing him off over her shoulder and sending the squealing zombie catapulting straight into the arms of his starkly more tanned and rugged teammate. Drawing a deep breath as she lifted herself upright, she was just in time to see the large spinning blades cleave off the giant's mammoth arm into four, a sight so gruesome yet fascinating at the same time. Ever acclamatory of her fellow kunoichi, Kurotsuchi extended her support with a roistering cheer as she saw her weapons fly towards Guren's portentous pink pet trying to match the teen's speed and agility. Just as the valorous Iwa Jonin was about to leap into the fray as well, the swarthy Rinji lunged at her, determined to get back at her for thwarting his plan to pilfer the legendary fan.

Even as she darted gracefully away from him, fiercely steadfast in her fervent desire to provide back-up for her friend, her path was blocked by Nurari's attempt to pin her down with the strange viscous liquid from his chakra-filled suit that he was flinging at her in abundance. With a frustrated yell of annoyance, Kurotsuchi responded with her own _Yoton_ jutsu, spewing spouts of quicklime from her mouth that neutralised Nurari's mucus-like substance in a few seconds; the sudden shadow she detected on the ground was a dead giveaway that the darker-skinned zombie was hot on her heels, having leapt up after her in mid-air. She felt an alien prickle of apprehension even as she twirled around to face her opponent, knowing fully well that there was little time to activate another jutsu to retaliate and that she would most probably have to stomach a few blows. That was when four explosive-tagged kunai intruded the space between zombie and young woman, inches away from the former, forcing him to jerk his body back in consternation as they created a minor explosion in the air. Kurotsuchi gave yet another victorious yelp as she waved to the retreating figure, before somersaulting back to the ground and engaging in yet another _taijutsu_ furore with the unflinching Rinji.

Barely able to draw a much-needed breath after hastily firing a few _Kibaku Kunai_ to aid her Iwa friend, Konoha's mistress of ninja tools bolted away from the crystals that were now being manipulated by the female Edo zombie to form extensive thorns that were growing continuously towards her direction. Her first instincts were to dive into the underbrush for temporary cover from Guren's relentless assaults, but she spied the few Suna shinobi hiding behind some trees; she made an immediate U-turn to face an intricate mass of crystals still multiplying and aggrandising towards her. Refusing to endanger the Sealing Team that was crucial in providing ancillary support, the youth gritted her teeth as she faced the ever advancing thorns and the Crystal Release user on that looming majestic monster, deciding that it was time to stand her ground.

Inhaling deeply, she felt the adrenaline pump more forcefully through her veins as she raised her head towards Guren. As she leapt swiftly from branch to branch, the solid crystal thorns providing substantial durable leverage points even as they continued extending after her, the initially diminutive figure riding her imposing construct started increasing in size and ubiquity. For the past few minutes, ever since Guren first addressed her from the top of the crystal dragon, the Chunin had felt an odd bewilderment at what exactly her assailant had said that seemed to be pricking her senses. As the striking figure of the powerful kunoichi came closer in view, it finally hit her why she had been feeling the way she did, and it was at this moment that she felt an undeniable tinge of gratitude towards the blue-haired woman. The immense sense of loss and utter chagrin she had suffered under the manipulation of the Akiya imposter had caused her considerable heartache about the lack of a proper identity over the past few hours, and it was this particular loss of identity that had actually propelled her to pursue this reckless path in the first place. Even though Ino's words of consolation had been filled with earnestness and sincerity, they had sadly seemed so bitterly empty at that time. However, hearing that phrase from the mouth of the resurrected zombie, a villain whom she had only clashed with once back when she was alive, seemed to have unclogged something in her. As her scrolls unfurled and unleashed her next barrage of ninja tools, the girl could hardly veil the smile that had spread across her young face as she flew towards her enemy.

For she was Tenten of Konoha, and at that very moment, that acknowledgement was more than enough for her to carry on fighting the good fight.


	45. Chapter 45

**Part 6: If The Shoe Fits (10)**

He ran.

Allowing himself one last look at the back view of the statuesque blonde girl who had landed right in front of him and parried the kunai that the red-clad Kumo soldier had thrust into the direction of his abdomen, the young man scrambled backwards into the dry, scratchy bush right behind him. In the next split second, barely even taking a breath in order not to draw attention to his whereabouts, the stricken male crawled doggedly out of the other side, picked himself up on his feet unsteadily, took to his heels and ran.

A thousand thoughts were pounding his brain, each and every one of them lambasting him for taking such a dastardly route, one that had been tickling at the back of his mind ever since he witnessed the body of his fellow kinsman viciously pierced by the fearsome tentacles belonging to what must have been a demon, her heart still pulsating with young, vibrant life as it was ripped out of her rigid torso. That revolting image, hardly a day old, caused him to stumble forward; as he crashed clumsily to the ground, he felt the bile at the back of his parched throat. The next memory of the young woman's strangled cry of his name, begging him to save her, just before the monster's horrifying grey woven threads rendered her lifeless, caused him to retch. Chest heaving as he tried in vain to expel the queasiness, he felt yet another surge within that threatened to cause him to hurl the contents of his supper again, when his memory bank released yet another jolting reminder of his pusillanimous spirit.

His own sister had not been the only fellow Kirigakure soldier he had left in the lurch, with his tail between his legs.

Ejaculating an aggrieved growl, one he tried to stifle even though the clangs and cries of battle were now barely audible, the male felt his cheeks burning when the warmth of his tears caressed his defined cheekbones. Why was he crying? He had good reason to be doing this, he told himself. He was way too young to die, to die before he had even lived. He had fulfilled no dreams, accomplished no measurable feats and had yet to feel a lover's touch. That was definitely paltry coin to take into the next life, was it not?

That was when the face of a young Konoha female flashed in his mind, a face deeply etched in his brain, for he had encountered her more than once in the heat of battle on the very first day of the war.

The first time had been seconds after his sister's bloody death together with another Konoha female; just as he had hastily made his escape, alone, with his heart threatening to burst out of his rib cage, a young girl wearing her brown hair in buns had engaged the zombie, who was towering over everyone with a macabre sneer and a menacing glint. He had thrown himself to the rocky ground when his surroundings exploded, courtesy of the startling amount of ninja tools the teen girl had fired. He had not even bothered turning to take a look at what the outcome was, caring only that someone was dumb enough to challenge one who had clearly no equal on the battlefield, that her brief act of courage would allow him to escape the demon's vile clutches.

Shaking his head violently in order to clear it, he tried to dispel the girl's face from his thoughts. Less than a minute after he began retreating deeper into the forest, he recalled how, for the rest of the day, he would catch glimpses of the same girl at various spots on the western coast of the Land of Lightning. Each time he saw her, his heart would give a slight lurch, for each time he would be genuinely surprised that this audacious individual had not fallen in battle, considering the kind of bizarre, preposterous situations she seemed to be caught up in throughout the day.

She had drawn attention to herself once again, when the General of the division had commanded everyone to throw their kunai Tailed Beast and she obeyed with an endless stream of steel projectiles that helped distract it before her fellow Konoha peers took matters into their hands. He had been one of those whom she had barked at to run away as she hurtled towards the Lightning elemental masked monster and the deadly bolts it was emitting. Later he had witnessed, from a distance, the unbelievable sight of a fiery raptor made up of countless weapons, and once again he had been utterly astounded when he realised that the technique belonged to this same girl. He thought he had had the privilege of being privy to her demise, when she plummeted from the heavens, seemingly drained completely of life. Loathe he might be to acknowledge, he had to admit that the scene of a girl, younger than himself, dying like a martyr in battle, somehow made him feel a little better about himself.

Imagine the overwhelming befuddlement that had flooded his being, when a few hours later, this familiar individual made her presence known to him once again, this time in a situation that was even closer to home. The battlegrounds had plunged into depths of conniving deception, with scores of their opponents taking the form of fellow alliance soldiers, driving a wedge among many and causing more mayhem under the cloak of the night. Having regrouped with his Sensei and her husband, the youth had thought that he could finally find some comfort after the day's harrowing experiences, the couple having little knowledge of how he had actually abandoned his own kin in the demonic hands of a resurrected zombie. The trio had unfortunately fallen prey to the enemy ranks, and just like before, the young man had taken advantage of the couple's heroism, falling back quickly to allow their respective _Suiton_ and _Katon_ techniques to hold the clones back. While watching them getting their lives sucked out of them by the treacherous clones from the edge of a low cliff, he kept telling himself that they had instructed him to escape, that it was his Sensei's duty to protect his well-being anyway. The gut-wrenching feeling he was feeling was not guilt; rather, it was the fact that the enemy were now impersonating as alliance soldiers and he was thus more vulnerable to sneak attacks than before.

That was when he had seen her again, this time with the same blonde girl he recognised as the one who had taken down the Tailed Beast earlier with some mind-blowing jutsu. From the distance, he saw the impersonators of his Sensei and her husband approach the weapons expert, and an irrational thought had hit him. Why would they have known one another? Had something occurred earlier that was now causing this unexpected reunion?

When the girl finally beheaded each of the clone impersonators with her blade, he had felt a tinge of resentment for this nosey parker, even though she had actually avenged the deaths of ones who had loved and taken care of him so dearly. His conscience started tussling with these appalling selfish thoughts plaguing his young mind, but he attempted valiantly to bury these conflicting emotions, rationalising that he had done what was necessary to survive, and that the girl was just trying to be a hero.

That was when the thought of the child his Sensei had just given birth to three months ago invaded his mind and rooted itself there.

The memory of him cradling the baby in his own arms was an unwelcome intrusion, for it caused him to slow his steps down in the middle of the woods; he sat himself down underneath an oak tree, shutting his eyes tight to quell these unwelcome visions from his mind. He was now wracked with feelings that he had never experienced before, as for much of his young life, he had always adopted a rapacious, mercenary attitude that led to him getting his way most of the time. Even when his childhood buddy had earned his current position among the ranks of the elite Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, he had boiled with rage at the unfairness and obvious favouritism at play – how could one as meek and lacking in confidence as his blue-haired, bespectacled nerd be worthy of wielding the _Hirameikarei_, the only blade among the original seven that was still in Kirigakure's possession? He had ended their friendship the very day his friend accepted the prestigious position, accusing him of ultimate betrayal and hypocrisy, refusing to forgive him despite his vehement pleas. It did not matter that he was well aware one as weak-willed as his friend was totally susceptible to months, perhaps even years, of voracious self-condemnation and remorse; he only knew that he had to make him suffer for this utter act of transgression against his own emotional well-being, even if he was taking the coveted position right next to the ethereal Mizukage.

He could not comprehend what was eating him from within as he buried his head in his hands, bewildered that one as hard-hearted as himself could actually be affected by something as lame and undignified as remorse. A dazed and lost soul after having lost his family and several other Kiri comrades on the battlegrounds, he had defected from the squad he was placed in and volunteered to accompany the medical squad to the Medical and Logistics compound, eager to escape from the impending chaos that the area always seemed to be submerged in.

Imagine the chagrin he had felt when the Konoha teen, now wearing her hair in a ponytail and looking more visibly more subdued, joined their ranks; the past two hours were supposed to be a reprieve from all the madness, yet her presence had been causing such irrepressible emotions to manifest. Though he had attempted to stay as far away from her as he could, throughout the journey, he could not seem to evade the haunting images of his sister and his Sensei's family. Each time he turned to catch a glimpse of her, that sickeningly innocent face seemed to be mocking him, as if she knew that he was deserving of derision, that his snivelling, malfeasant acts should be brought to light.

Even when the Konoha girl was absent and seemed to have defected when the squad was led into an ambush, he found it extremely easy, in his confounded state of mind, to blame her for the predicament of the squad. Once the group of shinobi they had encountered revealed themselves to be clone impersonators, his first instincts were to just give it all up and succumb to the enemy. After all, it seemed as if they would never be able to overcome such a large group, since so many of their squad were injured personnel, and the first few soldiers had already been viciously taken out right in front of their eyes by their very own leader, who was of course evidently a Zetsu clone as well. He had not even bothered to activate any of his _Suiton_ jutsus; if not for the timely arrival of the Konoha trio and the blonde shoving roughly him to the ground, he would already have been enfolded in Death's cold, frigid embrace.

The sudden appearance of the girl's peers awakened the survival instincts he had buried deep within; no longer caring if he was to be labelled a traitor or a deserter, the youth fled, livid at the events that had robbed him of almost everything he had – his family, his pride, his dignity.

He pricked his ears - the forest seemed to have come alive, and woodland creatures were now scampering away from some sort of commotion that he could now detect. While his head was compelling him to continue running and follow the direction of the animals, something made him creep forward to investigate despite the fears that were gripping his heart. He could hardly believe his eyes when the sight of the Konoha girl greeted him yet again; his whole body slumped back to the ground, well-covered by the lush bushes surrounding the periphery of the clearing, and for the following minutes, his ravenous eyes feasted on the performance that was unfolding before him.

He watched in muted silence, as the trio of shinobi soldiers battled doggedly with the six resurrected abominations, each more ferocious than the last. While he had cultivated an unhealthy, unreasonable dislike for the Konoha teen, he was still of sound enough mind to be rooting for the right side of the battle, and he had to admit that witnessing the three shinobi unleash their latent prowess was perversely entertaining. As they clashed, both parties seemed to be wearing a similar countenance, unwavering in their determination to bring their opponents down.

The young man from Kirigakure, watching in rapt fascination, almost gave a hearty cheer when he saw the weapon user evade the smoke dragon's attacks with such graceful precision. By the time she erased it from existence, he was totally dumbfounded by the resourcefulness that this young female was displaying, and as she tackled the goggle-eyed dwarf and cut him down with her melee weapons, he was overcome by shame that he could have harboured such malicious thoughts about one who was simply doing what needed to be done, to the best of her abilities. He noticed that he was holding on to his forehead protector that had come undone, loosened by the branches and twigs that he had encountered along the way. Rubbing his right fleshy thumb over the shiny surface, he felt the grooves of the engraving on the steel plate.

Shinobi, he found himself whispering, as another wave of emotion washed over him. The girl, like her trio of friends who had arrived to save the medical squad, Iwa young woman who was fighting with such fiery passion and the long-haired man who was dancing swiftly around his adversaries with his speed and agility, had all along, just been doing what she needed to, acting like a shinobi.

And that was what he needed to do as well.

Tying his protector securely around his forehead, he gave a wan smile which must have lit up his pallid face just a little. He could not deny the terror rising within when the crystal creature was summoned, emitting an unearthly roar as it dove repeatedly after the teen girl, under the command of the maniacal female zombie above – witnessing how the Konoha teen seemed to be providing essential support for her comrades despite having to perform outrageous evasive tactics, heightened his resolution even further. This time, he decided he was not going to let his fear dictate his cowardice and turmoil; rather, he wanted to use it to anchor his strength, to re-affirm his beliefs of his abilities as a warrior, to make amends for the wrongdoings he had committed in the past.

And that was why when the Konoha teen was scaling the intricate mass of crystallised thorns to reach her opponent on top of her unnerving, stupefying steed, a young male Kirikagure soldier burst out of the bushes, launched himself upwards into the air and took a direct hit from a fireball that had been aimed at the girl. He felt another few jolts of intense pain piercing bone and flesh right through his ribs and left shoulder, as his singed body fell through two gleaming crystal shards. Even then, as darkness overtook him, his dry, cracked lips curled slightly upwards, as the young shinobi knew he had finally done something right this time.


	46. Chapter 46

**Part 6: If The Shoe Fits (11)**

"Tenten! Watch out!"

Senses prickling as the distinct resonance of a ball of rolling flames whistled through the air, the Konoha Chunin braced herself for the impending impact, genuinely caught unawares due to keeping her focus mainly on her target. While the ice-crusted shield was tied securely to her back, she knew that it might not be able to deflect Kigiri's attack fully – even if she managed to allow it to bear the brunt of the hit, she would certainly be knocked back by the resultant force and land on the mass of crystal spikes below. Furthermore, even if she continued leaping upwards at Guren, she could see that her opponent had quite an excruciating plan for her, discernible from the large and sharp spear-like crystal she had conjured up surrounding her forearm. Mind racing against time, Tenten was just about to unseal the Bashosen, seeing that she might really need the legendary fan to aid her this time.

And that was when something totally unanticipated happened.

Before the kunoichi could take control of her bearings, an unknown figure shot out of nowhere, appearing right in front of Tenten in mid-air. She suppressed a scream as the fiery canon engulfed his entire being, watching helplessly as the flaming body fell the few metres to land on the nest of sharpened crystals below. A sickening thud was audible as the spikes gutted through her saviour, and the split-second glimpse she could afford showed the charred, mangled mess that remained unceremoniously two metres above ground courtesy of those treacherous shards, the sunlight reflected on the man's accessory on his forehead revealing him to be a fellow Alliance shinobi.

"No!"

Despite her desolate cry, the teen's eyes flashed with fury as she quickly diverted her attention back to her gloating adversary, who must be hoping that this unexpected turn of events would weaken her resolve somewhat and present her with an advantage. Determined not to let her comrade's sacrifice be in vain, Tenten flung herself straight towards the blue-haired zombie, wielding two red-hot machetes that were themselves burning with unquenchable heat. Guren blocked the girl's thrusts and hacks with some effort, sensing that she had quelled the agony so apparent on her face within moments, and turned it into something that enhanced her strength and endurance to battle on. The two females were now dancing back and forth on top of the crystal dragon's head, the clashing of their respective weapons sending blinding sparks all over. Sniggering slightly as she felt the surface of her Crystal Lance crack under the intensity of the flaming blades, Guren once again acknowledged the girl as more than a worthy opponent.

"Not bad, Konoha cur," she laughed as her lance finally shattered into smithereens, forcing her to retreat. "Let's see how many of my constructs you can destroy. My dragon still stands, in case you've forgotten."

"What makes you think I've forgotten about your pet?"

That sharp retort was when the Edo realised that in the midst of her two-minute scuffle with the Konoha teen, her crystal dragon had evidently stopped moving. Guren gave an inaudible gasp as she studied the thick, expansive layer of crystalline ice that had formed beneath the construct, inhibiting further advancement by freezing the massive structure in its tracks. This was why Kigiri had sent that fireball before he got sucked back into battle with the Hyuuga; he must have noticed that the girl had had something up her sleeve and fired a shot to bring her down.

"How… how did…"

Guren clenched her teeth as she remembered how the Chunin had taken out Kiho's own misty creature – senbons. Spying the unfurled, flapping scroll in Tenten's right hand, she realised that the girl must have been sending sent countless ice-imbued needles into the ground, craftily preparing for this moment. By the time the ice formation was seen by Kigiri, it must have been too late, since no one had detected the almost invisible tools at Tenten's disposal and the bulky pink creature was ironically now embedded in another's crystalline construct.

"_Sogu:_ _Katon Hosenka Tsumabeni_!"

Taking advantage of Guren's mortification and momentary lapse, Tenten had hurled herself back into the air again, spilling her inner rage with volleys of fiery shurikens that spun their way towards the crystal steed. While Guren was able to knock a number back with her own crystal shurikens, the sheer volume of the kunoichi's assault was too much for her to bear; the dozen or so spinning blades that actually hit her own armour managed to carve numerous burn marks all across the surface of her body before causing the crystal to break into intricate, barely visible pieces.

"She… she's…going to destroy the dragon!"

The individuals present had all halted in mid-attack, mesmerised by the sight of the petite, airborne figure discharging even more diminutive objects from her scroll. Nurari's screechy outburst, in spite of its volume and pitch, was hardly absorbed by anyone – the outcome seemed inevitable, as scores of flaming blades flew themselves over and over again in their attempts to scratch beneath the dragon's gleaming crystalline surface. While that had seemed impossible at first, by the time the fifth torrent was unleashed, instead of simply burning over the surface, dozens of shurikens could be seen implanted all over the dragon's long, sweeping neck, still burning fervently in spite of the inhospitable environment of its crystalline skin.

Now on the ground, her skin partially scorched, Guren was about to retaliate with another jutsu command, but was jumped upon by Hiashi, his activated _dojutsu_ exposing her position and intention. Cursing as she flipped her body away from the man's merciless moves, she was immediately spellbound by the sight of the kunoichi, also back on solid ground, holding on to the fan once more. If she had harboured any doubt of the girl's abilities to take down her beast, she had little choice but to swallow it now.

"_Katon… Bakuryugeki_!"

Pausing for just one moment as she braced her body for the tool's draining effect, Tenten of Konoha gave the Bashosen a sturdy swing. The Exploding Dragon Strike technique she had conjured from her scrolls before was now a hundred times more potent under the very able prowess of the legendary fan. Determined not to harm any bystander with the immensity of its power, the Chunin focused on keeping her jutsu in check, commanding the unravelling dragon to coil its whole fiery body around the gigantic form, exerting an incredibly unyielding force on the solid mass of crystal. The orange flames swathing all over the struggling pink dragon was a sight to behold, as everyone watching felt the escalating tension in anticipation of its imminent end. With its surface already greatly enervated by Tenten's shuriken barrage, no longer than ten seconds had the blazing summon wrapped itself around it did it blow up into a million miniscule shards, enveloping the vast vicinity with glittering pink bits.

Filled with irascible contempt for the meddlesome girl, the zombie sneakily crept towards the area where everyone else had abandoned, mere moments after the outlandish, staggering destruction of one of his leader's most fearsome techniques. Within less than a minute after the Konoha teen's own fiery beast practically squeezing the life out of the entrapped construct into oblivion, the battle had begun again, leaving no time for anyone to catch a much-needed breather. Giggling softly amidst the mass of crystalline thorns that were still standing tall in its gleaming beauty, his heart skipped a beat as he found what he was looking for. Ignoring the spilled blood and dripping entrails, the jocund individual gaily extracted the gruesome messed up body from its open-air coffin, his dead heart pumping with glee as he glowed with anticipation of being able to use this unconventional technique again.

"_Shisha Kugutsu_."

Feeling a familiar tingle of elation course through his slimy self, he gave a gratuitous gurgle as he absorbed the fresh corpse into its suit, feeling its tender warmth emanating within as his body got used to the youth's, terribly exuberant at the vigour and vitality he felt. As his mind gained access to the male shinobi's techniques, the pink-haired zombie gave a contented, almost orgasmic sigh.

"All right then," Nurari chortled as he extricated himself and his new prisoner out of the crystal nest. "Let's see what you can do, my dear handsome Kirigakure soldier."


	47. Chapter 47

**Part 6: If The Shoe Fits (12)**

The black-cloaked man adjusted his gas mask slightly as he took a few seconds to regain his orientation, having suffered a particularly severe adamantine punch from the vexatious Iwa female. Sensing that the Alliance trio's mettle and morale had risen significantly after the heinous annihilation of the crystalline beast, he took a quick survey of the riotous surroundings, contemplating his next move. Snapping his head back as a sudden realisation jostled its way into his turbulent thoughts, he strained his eyes to scan the area again, attempting to locate a certain ally amidst the chaotic area as it exploded into yet another bout of jutsu clashes. Since his primary battle tactics revolved around the manipulation of gases for diversionary purposes, he had been waiting for his comrade to be resurrected to activate a greater smokescreen together, but had lost track of time during the heat of the tumultuous fights.

"Aniki… Rinji!" he called out, a sense of dread gnawing at his nerves. "Something's wrong… Kiho…"

"_Suiton! Teppodama!_"

Before Kigiri could reach the comrade he had addressed as 'brother', a new commotion arrested his attention. At the edge of the clearing a distance away, where Guren's mass of crystalline thorns remained prominently erect, a strange figure was cackling madly as he sent condensed bursts of water flying all over the vicinity. Every single individual, even those from Guren's team, obeyed Hiashi's holler to scatter, feeling the high-speed balls of converted chakra shoot past them with savage intent. The water spheres either bulleted through hefty trunks and causing more uprooting of trees, or tore the ground apart sending grass and soil flying all over.

Everyone except the one Kigiri had yelled out for, for the rugged, crafty henchman with that irritating swagger had been imprisoned in yet another one of Kurotsuchi's earth domes. With two of those high-octane water spheres hurtling right through the construct at such dazzling speed and power, it was no small wonder that the one named Rinji met his end once again, the aftermath of the assault revealing a twisted torso with one gaping hole through his chest and half of his awestruck, agonised face blown apart.

"That Edo… he's somehow managed to knead the chakra in his suit into water cannonballs," muttered Hiashi as both of his female comrades landed on either side, his _Byakugan_ allowing him to peruse the situation. "Weird… he's… he's combining his own powers with another person's techniques… he's actually … absorbed a body into his suit!"

Tenten felt a chill run down her spine as the senior Hyuuga continued to explain how much more brutal and deadlier Nurari's attacks were, now that they were enhanced by the corpse he had ingurgitated. With the revelation that the dead body must have belonged to a Suiton user and the fact that the creepy Edo had appeared right in front of Guren's pink crystal thorns, the Chunin came to the horrifying conclusion that he must be the Mist shinobi who had sacrificed his life to shield her from Kigiri's own ball of flames.

"We must stop him… stop them, before they get their act together," Kurotsuchi was quick to add when she noticed the colour draining from the younger female's flushed face. "It looks as if they're just as taken aback as we are, but I'm sure they'll work this new monster out to their benefit. I'll attempt to ambush him with my _Doton_ techniques."

Wincing slightly as she concurred with the abrupt plan that her two comrades came up with in the next few moments, Tenten fought to swallow the rage that was boiling its way to the surface. It was tragic enough that the Kirigakure shinobi had met his demise in such a grisly manner, but this violation of his still-warm body was too repugnant for her to bear. Noticing Rinji's decapitated body at the other end of the clearing, it seemed as if the deranged zombie no longer cared who was getting caught in the midst of the crossfire, and carnage was all that mattered.

That was when she spied two Suna shinobi attempting to make their way to Rinji's body with their bales of cloth.

Deciding to provide some assistance, the plucky girl tried to be as stealthy as she could, relying on her two equally dauntless allies to take care of the situation at hand, using the periphery of the clearing to make her way to the two sealing team members. Kurotsuchi was already distracting the other zombies by launching her Earth Flow Spears, while Hiashi provided some long-range back up with his Eight Trigrams Vacuum Wall Palm, a variation of his earlier Gentle Fist technique that saw him sending powerful waves of chakra using both palms simultaneously with great force towards the opponents. Amidst the paroxysms of raging jutsus filling the surroundings with jarring clashes , Tenten scurried towards the Suna duo, but was seconds too late from preventing any harm from being inflicted, managing only to pull one of them back with a quick release and backward yank of her weighted chain.

"_Enmaku Ro_!"

Activating his relatively less meritorious ninjutsu, Kigiri commanded his smoke tendrils to wrap themselves tightly around the startled man, his Binding Smoke Prison technique immobilising him for a moment before exerting a tenacious force on his struggling form. Once the prisoner gasped aloud as he panted for breath, a smoky stream gushed into his open mouth and down his oesophagus, threatening to choke the life out of him.

Tenten hurled herself at the zombie who was actually standing quite a couple of feet away, brandishing her trusty twin swords. Catching Kigiri slightly off-guard as she charged at him, she sliced the tightly twisted tendrils from his gas mask with her blades, freezing the air surrounding the smoky wisps with the right before slicing them off with the flaming left. The sputtering shinobi collapsed into the arms of his fellow comrade, his breaths coming out as wracking coughs that seemed to be tearing his throat apart.

"Impudent fools!" barked Kigiri, leaping back as the trio of Suna soldiers dragged the lifeless body of his mummified friend quickly into the bushes. "I knew you accursed buffoons were up to something!"

"Take a look at what your friend is doing," replied the Konoha kunoichi in a decidedly calm tone considering she was addressing the enemy. "He's obviously lost it! Look at how he's even attacking the rest of your team!"

Tenten thought she saw the zombie's sclera flicker as he breathed the name of his partner who had clearly gone berserk. At that very moment, Nurari was caught in the middle of his maniacal revelry, after actually bringing down the one-armed but still intimidating Gozu with torrents of gushing water from his puppet's mouth. Grimacing as she saw the bloodied, misshapen face of the man who had shielded her from Kigiri's Flame Shot in the middle of the congealed mass, she heard the purple-haired man whisper an almost inaudible "No… not again…" as he continued staring at the direction of the befuddling battle taking place. Sensing that she had somehow stumbled on Kigiri's weakness, Tenten took the opportunity to urge the stupefied Edo to stop the madness.

"We've been resurrected for a purpose," Kigiri muttered, his response as limp as Gozu's inert body on the ground a few yards away. "We're now simply… Kabuto's puppets, and there's nothing much we can do about it."

"Do you really believe that?"

Leaving him to ponder over that last question, Tenten lunged forward again, leaping back into the fray with her fellow combatants. Even at this juncture, Hiashi was still battling it out with the pertinacious Otogakure female, who was rebelliously still adamant about fighting the Alliance trio despite the lunacy of her lackey that was creating such havoc across the battleground. Kurotsuchi, on the other hand, was trying all ways and means to subdue the raving maniac, who unfortunately had amassed such a range of _Suiton _techniques from his dead prisoner that he was absolutely having a ball using them one after another.

"Come closer, you whore!" Nurari was lashing out as the Iwa Jounin erected a stout mud wall to ward off another water spurt. "Let my liquids wash all over your nubile body… all over your fucking corpse!"

Tenten sent five explosive-tagged kunai grenades sprawling across the area before joining her friend behind the muddy construct, knowing that they would only serve to distract him for a spell. "He's able to use quite a high level of elemental jutsus here," Kurotsuchi whispered, the shiver in her voice sending one down the Konoha Chunin's spine. "I took a hit just now, and my left arm is still twitching in spasms. And that's when it was covered with my Rock Fist technique!"

Signalling for her comrade to stay put for now, Tenten vaulted over the mud wall and saw that Nurari had a good number of kunais embedded all over his torso thanks to her earlier explosive assault, but was still standing and cackling madly. Bracing herself as she summoned a few weighted chains, the kunoichi darted speedily towards the zombie, taking care to take strategic evasive moves whenever jets of water were shot at her. When she was near enough, she started using her chains as if they were whips, lashing them out at Nurari with such vehemence that the surrounding ground bore the brunt of several high-impact whiplashes, with bits of earth flying all over the arena.

"Free him from your suit, you freak!" Tenten bellowed as she sent both chains hailing down towards her adversary's head from mid-air. "He's suffered enough!"

"He's mine to play with now, little girl!" the Edo's glassy marble orbs gleamed with pure menace as he snarled, blocking the weapons user's powerful blow. "Since you like to be whipped so much, let's see what how you'll be able to dodge this! _Suiton: Suiben!_"

Within a split second, Nurari had created two whips of his own, leaping crazily at his foe with his water constructs, his burdensome form surprisingly nimble despite the extra mass and weight added to his shiny, silvery suit. Thrown off-guard by his close-range retaliation – Tenten had engaged him up close and personal because she had hoped he could be brought down with _taijutsu_ moves – she found herself wrapped tightly by the water whips that were biting into her arms. She literally froze and stopped struggling against her binds, the terror in her heart escalating when she saw that the zombie was using the Kirigakure ninja's starkly advanced repertoire to channel lightning chakra to his suit.

"Looks like I'm going to feast on fried bitch for my breakfast!"

Tenten felt her heart in her throat as Nurari almost doubled over with laughter, the sizzling blue energy looming with malicious intent at the tips of the Mist soldier's fingers that were wielding the unyielding taut whips. It was obvious that he was taunting her, knowing fully well that her life was now literally in his hands. Judging by the sounds and voices behind her, both her comrades were both fiercely engaged in battle once again and even as she opened her mouth to yell for help, she found that her parched throat was not responding to the crippling fear that had gripped her entire being.

"Say good morning, little girl… Or rather… goodnight!"

Nurari's piercing screech had hardly reached her eardrums when lightning energy started licking its way forward… towards her. Heart thumping wildly as she fought to free herself to no avail, Tenten bit her lower lip and tasted copper as she remained utterly stricken by the sight of the lightning chakra inching towards her bit by bit, a deliberate move by the psychotic zombie. It was only when it had travelled so close to her that she could actually feel the heat surging from the crackling energy, that she felt the ropes suddenly lose their tension, allowing her to break free of her binds, fall backwards and scramble unsteadily away.

Raising her eyes in a mixture of sheer relief and confusion, Tenten could almost feel her own jaw hang loosely from its hinges when she saw who the screaming Nurari was currently being held captive by. Even as she blinked a number of times and the figure behind the raving maniac remained stoic in his position, it was only when she saw a thick smokescreen being formed from the gases that were being unleashed from his mask that she had no choice but to admit that she had been unquestionably rescued by none other than the Edo zombie named Kigiri.


	48. Chapter 48

**Part 6: If The Shoe Fits (13)**

"Kigiri! What the hell do you think you are doing?"

The battle had come to a complete standstill, with the remaining combatants realising that disconcerting disruption that had taken place. With Nurari no longer employing his Casualty Puppet move to dazzle the atmosphere with his prisoner's wide repertoire, the battle arena had adopted an unnatural, awkward silence, with only the masked man's billowing fumes surrounding the area with a strange, ethereal hiss. Even his deranged captive and partner seemed decidedly muted despite his wailing screeches from before, with the individuals scattered at various spots outside the smokescreen hearing only soft murmurs and piteous sobs from within.

Still trying to gather her own wits, Tenten took a side glance from where she was crouching at and noticed the appalled expression on the villainess's face. Brows knitted, eyes blazing with fury and full luscious lips drawn tight, the blue-haired woman's umbrage was on full display as she disrupted the temporary tranquillity with her rankled holler, the utter astonishment evident even in her voice.

"The Konoha girl… she's right, Guren. We don't have to do this."

The instance after Kigiri's baritone travelled out of the musty cloud, Guren's affronted disposition was completely switched and directed at the Chunin, who now had the third female ninja by her side. Matching the female Edo's glare with her own, Tenten got to her feet shakily with her friend's aid, apparently still recovering from her near-fatal electrocution. She responded to Kurotsuchi's own query about the meaning behind Kigiri's words with a mere shrug while maintaining eye contact with Guren, attempting to make sense of the male zombie's words in her own mind as well.

"Kigiri, get rid of your damned smokescreen, and we can… we can talk properly! Don't tell me you've become as mad as Nurari, you bloody traitor!"

It was as if those words, spat out so harshly with nary an attempt to veil her outrage, had registered in Kigiri's apparently clouded mind, for within the next few moments, his dark and dense smokescreen was dissipating at such an astounding speed to reveal the surprisingly serene figures within. The masked man had conjured three of his own clones, who were all gripping Nurari's currently immobile state with taut ropes of smoke from their gas masks. Being nearest to this uncanny scene, Tenten felt a slight lurch within when she spied a dark trail travelling down from Kigiri's right eye, an obvious indication that even in this abominable state, his heart had remained in the right place - right next to Nurari's.

"I can't let him go through this again, Guren," the tortured soul was now wearing his heart on his sleeve. "All the torment that he's gone through… all those screwed up experiments that Orochimaru did on us… Nurari… he got the worst… the worst treatment among all the prisoners. Every night, he would return to our cell, broken in both body and mind, after all the… all the perverse things that bastard did… all the insane modifications that he went through under Orochimaru's treachery! I don't want to see Nurari losing his sanity like this all over again!"

"What's that got to do with anything, Kigiri? Nurari was the one who chose to use this technique! He knew that he would become unstable as always, but he was the one who made that choice!" Guren barked her brusque retort, seemingly unmoved by his heartfelt exposition as she maintained an aggressive stance, crystalline fists clenched and raised, ever ready to jump back into battle. "In case you've forgotten, we're dead! Whatever that Konoha wench said to you doesn't matter, because our main purpose of being resurrected is to simply carry out Kabuto's orders and…"

"And get Yukimaru back? Are you even listening to yourself, Guren? You were manipulated by Orochimaru and Kabuto back when you were alive, as we all were!" the male zombie's voice boomed across the clearing, as he and his clones remained resolute at their positions. "Kabuto sent the Seven Swordsmen to kill you and Gozu, in order to bring us back in this wretched state! And we're still his puppets, to be used according to his whim and fancy! I'm not claiming to be an angel, but even though we're dead, Guren, why should we lose our last shred of dignity? What would Yukimaru say if he saw you doing all these, if he's even alive? "

With a sudden jolt, Kigiri was abruptly robbed of his voice, and his three clones vanished in a puff of smoke. Hiashi immediately pointed out what the others had already expected, that his personality had been eradicated, warning everyone to be on their guard. Tenten gripped her scrolls tightly as she nodded absent-mindedly, feeling her heart pulsating in her ears. Kigiri's revelation of the horrors and absurdities that Nurari had gone through had softened her core somewhat, but she knew that they had no choice but to bring him down, no matter his tragic history. The masked zombie had touched her with his firm beliefs in maintaining some dignity even in their hapless state, and she actually felt more than a tinge of regret that they would have to fight him again since Kabuto had already erased his mind.

"Look… look at that! He… he's still not letting go of his lover!"

While she had not meant to make fun of the duo, the genuinely surprised way Kurotsuchi blurted out that tidbit of information still did sound fairly amusing to Tenten, who was filled with a similar sense of astonishment by the sight of the black-cloaked man still hugging the slime suit tightly from behind, his face remaining close to his subdued partner's. What struck the Chunin's melting heart the most was the sorrowful expression on Kigiri's face and the dark trails frozen on his cheeks.

"Kigiri… he… he's not letting go…how… how is he…"

The female Edo's stricken mumbles were followed by her own crestfallen silence, as she herself had to acknowledge the truth – Kigiri's determination and devotion to his beloved had overpowered even the tight reins that Kabuto was keeping on his resurrections. She felt a sudden downward tug within her being, the sinking sensation an indication that the undeniable truth behind her lackey's words had found their way to eat through her core. If even he could resist the steadfast hold their master had on them, what excuse did she have? Was she not the most versatile fighter among them, with the greatest amount of tenacity and inner strength? Yet, because of her unyielding bond with Yukimaru, she had succumbed to this pathetic state, allowing herself to be enslaved to the vile villain who had killed her and robbed her of the many years she could have spent with her young charge, one whom she had sworn to protect from harm.

Thus, the realisation that there had been members of the Sealing Corps within the vicinity, as they crept towards the pair of lovers from the bushes behind, barely moved her to action. Perhaps Kigiri was right. Perhaps it was possible to end this abhorrence with some dignity after all.

"Fall back! Fall back! Sealing Corps, retreat at once!"

The sudden holler from the Hyuuga clan head jolted everyone out of their reverie. True enough, his detection of a massive surge in chakra activity within the captive zombie was accurate, since in the next split second, Nurari jerked his head upwards and spat out a loud command.

"_Suiton: Suijinheki!_"

Having obeyed Hiashi's order to retreat, Tenten had leapt several yards back together with her comrades, but her keen eyes could still make out exactly what the crazed zombie was up to. The Water Encampment Wall technique was whipped up with such wild fury, with a fence of gushing water being blown out from the mouths of both Nurari and the Kirigakure corpse in his suit and raised from below with tremendous might. It was evident that the wall's sturdy strength and resistance were at a highly formidable level with an immense amount of chakra poured into it, since it was tearing up the bushes and trees behind.

"_Suiton: Mizu Kamikiri_!"

Mere moments after the wall of water was erected, Nurari's next move created jets of water that sliced through the ground towards the five individuals who all took to the air, startled to see them smashing their way even through solid rock. Landing neatly in the middle for the vast clearing, a significant distance from their assailant, Tenten's eyes widened in disbelief as they took in the dismal scene; the subsiding water wall unveiled the starkly shocking and heinously horrific sight of a third body in the midst of being absorbed into Nurari's slime suit.

"I thought he'd never stop prattling," came the squealing voice that soon broke into peals of laughter before its owner addressed his awed audience again while licking his green lips. "Now let's get back to me kicking all your asses, shall we, fellow bitches?"

Almost immediately after, the suit completed its grotesque task, bringing the broken body deep into its fold - the ravaged remains that belonged to Nurari's devoted lover, Kigiri.


	49. Chapter 49

**Part 6: If The Shoe Fits (14)**

"Now, all of you, get a grip of yourselves, and be ready when you're needed! I don't want to hear this nonsense again, you understand me?"

The contemptuous look that was shot at them brought the harsh reality crashing upon all six men, that they were being admonished by not only the individual who had risked her life to save them from the smoke manipulator earlier and now brought them to a temporary sanctuary, she was also a mere girl of barely eighteen and was at least a few years younger than every single one of them. As a rush of burning, uncomfortable heat spread upwards from their necks, the men nodded their agreement without hesitation and cowered in self-reprehension, ashamed to even look at one another's crimson cheeks. Even if she had not rescued their choking comrade from certain death, two of them had actually witnessed the sheer audacity of this girl the day before, when she took it upon herself to save the division from the widespread massacre from those wretched elemental monsters. That stark reminder jolted one of them to raise his woeful eyes meekly to meet Tenten's blazing irises and manage a soft croak, "We… we'll be ready, Miss Tenten. We… we will be ready."

Just two minutes ago, the Konoha Chunin had finally managed to manoeuvre her way around the premises while her comrades tried to keep their fearsome adversary at bay, carrying out her senior's instructions to get the Sealing Team members out of potential and fatal harm by leading them to the other side of the clearing. As they were brought to a more guaranteed safety zone while carrying their three mummified prizes, the Suna shinobi who had been traumatised by his near-death experience under Kigiri's hands blurted out that they might as well take this opportunity to escape and run back to their base camp.

"This way... this way we can get more… more reinforcements… and we … we won't have to die here," the pale-faced youth had mumbled when their current leader took an abrupt turn and glared at him in utter shock and disbelief.

"Look girl," a second soldier had stepped forward to meet Tenten's gaping mouth, "we understand that this… situation is crucial, but we did not sign up for this. In fact, I don't even understand why Hiashi-sama had to pick us to come here… to lead us to our deaths!"

"You were brought here, because you have a job to do!" Tenten had raised her voice almost at once, totally forgetting that they were supposed to be moving discreetly. "Heck, Hiashi-sama was the one who asked me to bring you guys to a safer area so that you'd not be caught in the crossfire! How … how dare you even harbour the slightest intention of abandoning your posts, of leaving fellow shinobi in the lurch! Look at the word on my forehead protector and remind yourselves again right now, why exactly you are here. I now know why I am, and I'm absolutely sure you know why you are!"

The scowling kunoichi now turned back to face the battle once more, leaving six grown adult shinobi grappling with their shame in muted silence. As she made her way back to join her comrades, Tenten remembered Hiashi's timely reminder to have the Bashosen on standby, since the way the battle was going could require its mystical prowess to end this travesty. As she was greeted by an incredible sight of her Iwa friend activating a literally earth-shattering jutsu, she was frozen to the spot for a split second before she hastened her steps, yelling a warning that the other two zombies were approaching her from behind.

"_Doton: Doryukatsu!_"

The concentrated chakra channelled from Kurotsuchi's palms into the Dragon Veins flowing underground travelled swiftly towards the monstrosity, tearing the rumbling earth apart and creating a large chasm that threatened to swallow Nurari from beneath his feet. Since manipulating this Earth Flow Divide technique required fine chakra control and she had been exhausting her chakra pool for close to a full hour, the Iwa Jounin grimaced as a sudden realisation hit her that the Dragon Veins underground were not responding as quickly as they should, and that her plan to put some distance between her fellow fighters and their deformed adversary might not work after all.

"Damn it… I thought I'd be able to buy us more time…my chakra levels … are depleting…"

Out of the blue, the burly form of the reticent, unassuming Gozu landed beside her, almost causing her to disrupt her connection with the earth. While her initial thought was that he was about to attack her once again while catching her off-guard, the massive giant rammed his remaining fist to the ground right next to her outstretched palms. Almost at once, Kurotsuchi could feel an incredible boost to her technique as the gorge widened and deepened rapidly at the same time, leaving the raving lunatic hurling profanities at the other side of the divide. The confounded young woman faced the surly man whom she had scuffled with, but Gozu only returned her awed expression with a brief nod and a low grunt.

Guren's sullen expression belied the temporary relief she felt as she took in the scene that was unfolding while her last remaining henchmen was reluctantly obeying her instructions. As she watched the ghastly figure dancing around in his lunacy, a familiar sense of apprehension and guilt pricked at her senses. Undoubtedly, this group of buffoons had meant little to her at first, and had just been a means for her to carry out Orochimaru and Kabuto's orders to a certain level of success. However, the preceding months before her harrowing death had been spent in much peace and quiet with both Yukimaru and Gozu, and she had come to appreciate life's little intricacies a lot more before she ultimately fell to Kabuto's iron-fisted clutches yet again. While she would never call Kiho, Kigiri and Nurari her friends, and would always remember Rinji's treachery, she had managed to reach a grudging acceptance of the unorthodox relationship the group had shared. Despite all their differences and internal conflict, at least she had managed to find one loyal friend in Gozu, and she had to admit that the tragic relationship between Kigiri and Nurari was actually pretty heart-warming, a testimony that love could indeed be found and cultivated from the most unlikely of places, even in the dark realms of Orochimaru's prison, where inhumane and dastardly acts were aplenty and a daily occurrence. That was perhaps why, despite the current hateful state that she had been brought back in, Kigiri's words before he perished under his partner's hands had moved her at her very core. She could also not deny that the presence of the Konoha girl had revived the memory of the spunky blonde teenager, who hailed from the same village that she used to detest and defile, and the myriad humbling lessons she had learnt from him during their short time together after their initial clashes, lessons that had allowed her to lead her remaining living days with, in Kigiri's words, some dignity.

That was why when the confused dark-haired kunoichi reached the spot beside her, clearly bewildered by the sight of Gozu lending Kurotsuchi a helping hand, the female Edo heaved a heavy sigh of resignation and put a haughty smirk on her face before addressing her new comrade.

"I guess Kigiri was right to some extent. Looks like we'll have to work together this time, Konoha cur."


	50. Chapter 50

**Part 6: If The Shoe Fits (15)**

This time, it came in fire. This time, it roared, a red-hot blast, charring the air and turning it black. It stripped the grass from the soil. It tore the trunks from their roots. And if it was allowed to feed its hunger, it would have devoured the flesh from bones.

There she was again, the wielder of the Bashosen. Bursting forth, exulting in her tool, in fear, in death and destruction. It was a legitimate question that the weapon seemed to be asking. How long could she endure? How long could she survive? How much was she willing to take? In the face of relentless hazards and pain, when would she hit her limit?

Tenten answered that question by leaping into the thundering air, meeting the merciless attacks of her unflinching opponent with an equally indomitable spirit. The third wave of fiery catapults conjured by the mysterious fan soared through the dense, foggy air and sailed down towards the snarling, demonic figure. Once a cowardly individual who feared the harrowing prospects of death, it seemed as if being resurrected and melded with two other bodies had extinguished those fears, for instead of cowering in the face of heathen adversity, he met the blazing fireballs head on with yet another _Suiton_ technique from his handy puppet. As the waves crashed and burned the rolling masses of flames, swallowing them whole as if a giant python was devouring a family of mice, Nurari went into yet another one of his boisterous fits, filling the suffocating air with his accursed voice.

"Tenten! Get the damned fog out of the way first! I can't see through this bloody shit!"

Landing on bended knee, the kunoichi took a moment to shake the painful exhaustion off, the memory of the Bashosen's after effects causing her to deliberate over her next step. With the addition of Kigiri's prowess to his disposal, the battle arena was now filled with musty fumes that clouded the vicinity twice over. Deciding that Kurotsuchi's request did not require her to use the fan on its own, she sealed it quickly into her right scroll and waited for two seconds before once again summoning a barrage of whirring Fuma Shurikens that spun their way around, clearing the area of the choking gases in twenty seconds. Although she wanted to direct the spinning blades at Nurari, the dwindling wisps revealed the screeching madman currently engaged in melee combat with Hiashi, whose Byakugan had allowed him to detect the enemy even within the blinding mists. Though she knew that the senior Hyuuga's _taijutsu_ abilities were unrivalled in Konoha except for an exceptional few, Tenten still felt a pang of anxiety as she watched him deck it out with the three-headed, six-armed monster. Even as her Iwa friend expelled a low whistle in appreciation of the high-octane fist-fight greeting her eyes, the Chunin could not help but sense that the battle could not be won solely with Hiashi's techniques. While the _Juken_ master was clearly in a league of his own, known to have killed others with a single strike to their chakra pathway systems and leaving the battle literally unscathed, something about the way his brows furrowed around his white eyes each time he struck Nurari's convoluted silvery suit told Tenten that her Konoha senior seemed perturbed by how this particular fight was going.

"Something's… something's not right… Hinata mentioned something about his suit before," she mumbled to herself before she increased the intensity and volume of her voice. "Kurotsuchi! You need to stall him right now!"

As perplexed as she was, the brash Jonin was quick to react to her friend, immediately leaping towards the jousting duo when she saw an opening and releasing her unique _Yoton Sekkaigyo no Jutsu_, expelling a large quantity of quicklime from her mouth all over the unsuspecting demon. The cement-like substance hardened itself around Nurari's grotesque form, as Kurotsuchi followed up swiftly with a water release move to widen the area covered by the entrapping remnants. Though seemingly incapacitated for now, the Edo was still able to drive everyone back by quickly creating a swirling mass of water that churned protectively around him while he freed himself, cackling gleefully that he would not be trapped this easily.

"His suit… it's full of chakra," Hiashi was now studying the birdlime mucus that was covering his hands, a deeply grave look on his face. "I've managed to block a few of his chakra pathways but the way his body… his suit… seems to be re-channelling them around whenever they got disrupted."

"That's the way the suit works. He's able to shift his chakra points and internal organs around," Guren nodded grimly. "After all of Orochimaru's machinations, the manner in which Nurari's body and abilities work remains unclear. We may not even be able to pierce that damned suit of his since he would be able to cushion incoming projectiles. If we can actually do that, we might be able to do something about that mass of chakra circulating within."

"It's not helping that he's finding it such a cinch to manipulate his puppets' techniques so effortlessly," Hiashi added as he raised his eyes to his new ally. "And our own chakra supply won't last forever here."

As she listened half-heartedly to the adults' analysis, Tenten kept her eyes glued to the zombie's direction, the gears in her head turning in constant motion to concoct a workable plan. While the voices of her comrades buzzed around her like lethargic bees prowling around colourful blooms, her mind raced against the essence of time. Earlier on, Guren had wondered aloud her own bewilderment about why Kabuto had not eradicated their own personalities, or summoned the remaining zombies back to him. She warned the Alliance shinobi that she could have her mind erased again at any moment, and they would have to keep a constant watch on their own backs.

"Perhaps he's preoccupied by other battles happening at the same moment," the female Edo had offered. "Or he could have given up on us as a lost cause. Either way, it seems unlikely that he'll want to stop Nurari's current state since he's certainly on a war path of destruction and annihilation. Suits Kabuto's devious purposes anyway."

While Guren's troubling words rewound themselves in her mind, Tenten's fixated gaze detected new movement a distance away. Nurari's rolling sphere had suddenly collapsed, the water falling to the ground with a loud splash. That was when her sharp and keen eyes noticed that, for a very brief moment, there was an abrupt change in expression on the zombie's face. All of a sudden, the gloating sneer had vanished, only to be replaced by a disoriented look filled with fear and confusion. For a split second, Tenten thought that his stricken eyes were meeting her steely gaze, and though she was not near enough to hear him, she could tell that he had just mouthed the name of his partner as he glanced down at his deformed figure, the stark trepidation and grief unmistakable in his suddenly awkward mannerisms.

"His… his mind," whispered Tenten inaudibly as she recalled what Kigiri had said. "His mind's really unstable right now. We… we've got to put him out of his misery."

With that resolution, the Konoha Chunin straightened her torso and stood upright. The other four present stared at her for a while before turning their heads to face Nurari as well; the zombie had resumed his maniacal composure, breaking into hysterics for the umpteenth time as dark tears caressed his pasty cheeks.

"Why so serious, folks?" he cooed loudly this time, extricating his legs from Kurotsuchi's now ineffective pool of quicklime. "Turn those frowns into smiles now. Life's too short for anything else to matter!"

"_Doton_ users, follow my lead!" yelled Guren as she began her charge forward. "Your techniques can help with immobolising him while the rest of us take point! Tenten, with me! _Shoton, Suisho To!_"

The youngest kunoichi present could not help but feel a surge of adrenaline as she ran alongside her former adversary, even as she summoned two lightning-imbued _sai_ daggers into her awaiting grasps. She remembered Lee's eagerness to fight this skilled Crystal style user upon learning how powerful she was, and wondered how he would react to this extraordinary alliance that allowed them to fight together as an unlikely team. Marvelling at what an easy feat it seemed for the blue-haired kunoichi to both dodge Nurari's dastardly extended limbs and strike a cutting lash across his chest area with the Jade Crystal Blade she had formed on her right forearm at the same time, Tenten slashed out at the zombie with her own electrifying blades. While his snarling disposition remained, the Chunin caught a quick flash of dread and apprehension in his eyes again as she bent her torso backwards nimbly to duck his frenetic fists.

"So I see you're joining the fun, Guren," he spat as his six arms continued swinging wildly at the two kunoichi. "I'm hurt that you're not taking our side!"

Wincing slightly as her mind absorbed the face of the Kirigakure soldier who had so valiantly sacrificed his life for her, Tenten tried to remain focused as she flipped neatly away while Guren continued to lash at him with her crystal blades. A swift glance showed her other comrades standing by a short distance away, ready to strike when time was ripe. Knowing fully well that Guren's slicing and dicing were doing little to inflict their target with any form of harm, she hardened her heart and proceeded to do what was necessary. Jumping on Nurari from behind while his attention remained on his former leader, she drove the daggers into the small of his back, and leapt away together with Guren as the Edo monster gave a blood-curdling screech. Though the suit was able to mould itself over the sharpened blades, the crackling blue energy was travelling all over Nurari's torso, sizzling its way greedily in all directions.

"Help… get them… get them out of me! Cut Kigiri out of me, please!"

This time, even Guren stopped dead in her tracks, momentarily stunned by the genuine desperation in Nurari's strangled cry. Even though Tenten's vicious attack was still electrocuting his body, the zombie was choking out his piteous plea aloud, as if oblivious to the shockwaves ravaging his entire being. The agonised look on his face was enough to stall both females for a few seconds, as they tried to grapple with how to respond to the zombie's request.

"_Suiton: Seiryusho!_"

It was those few seconds that gave the crafty Edo enough time to unleash a spiralling torrent of water from his hands into Guren's stomach, knocking her a good few metres back with his Azure Dragon Palm move. It seemed that Nurari's personality kept reverting back and forth, causing him to now hold on to his hooded head with both of his own hands as he gnashed his teeth together, expelling incomprehensible noises as he glared directly at Tenten's baffled face, before his eyes softened yet again and he whimpered pathetically, "Help me, please."

Before the Konoha teen could react, Gozu had rushed at his former teammate with his humongous arms, his recently severed one having been mysteriously re-formed by the Edo Tensei technique he had been put under. Combining his brute strength and his Body Alteration technique and taking advantage of his current disorientation, he smashed his colossal fists directly into Nurari's wrecked body, sending him flying upwards into the air. This was followed swiftly Kurotsuchi's Iwa Shuriken move which saw her send a barrage of huge rotating rocks smashing into him and collapsing right onto him in a heap on the ground.

"_Doton: Doryuso!_"

Within the next two seconds, both Iwa and Otogakure Earth Release users were working together to condense the mud and stone from underground, shaping them into spikes that exploded from the earth and skewered Nurari's wretched form. Tenten felt a slight shiver course through her as she watched the immobilised body lying on the protruding spikes two metres above ground, but even then, she knew that the fight was not over.

True enough, no longer had Guren picked herself up did she have to evade the next wave of elemental assaults again together with the rest of the team. The water spheres and fireballs came in rapid volleys from Nurari's current vantage position, forcing the quintet to scatter.

"His chakra suit seems to be leaking somewhat," Hiashi whispered as he landed beside Tenten. "I can detect that his pathways are struggling to maintain some order even if he's able to re-divert them back and forth."

"I'll see what I can do," replied the plucky kunoichi as she unfurled her scrolls. "Let's hope this combination of lightning and earth techniques continue to work."

Nurari seemed to be totally out of control now; for a few seconds, he could be laughing wildly and screaming expletives at his opponents, but within a moment, he would be half-crying and half-gurgling for them to help him. Each time he wailed for them to cut Kigiri out of his body suit, he would be reduced to inconsolable sobs for a short spell. Though Guren's cold heart was twisting itself in guilt and regret, she also felt a rising rage within. She knew now that this anger should not be focused on the Konoha girl and her friends anymore, but instead be diverted towards the man who had revived them and caused them more pain and heartache even after their deaths, forcing them to go through such infernal atrocities. As the image of Yukimaru's face floated from the deep recesses of her mind to the surface yet again, the female Edo fully comprehended Kigiri's words now – even if they were to be sealed, they could still end their time on this cruel world with some pride and dignity.

"Gozu, Iwa girl, trap him again… immobilise his limbs! I'll attack him from above!" Guren exclaimed as she scaled the air currents. "_Shisho Tenketsu!_"

"The name's Kurotsuchi, but hell yeah!"

As the two followed Guren's command, flanking the monstrous being from both sides, and Hiashi tried to throw Nurari off guard with his Vacuum Palm Thrust from a distance, Tenten studied the air-borne female in awe. Having released two _tenketsu _points, Guren had greatly increased her chakra by changing her life force into it, the amount of chakra released being so much that Tenten could even feel the air currents swarming around the Otokagure woman from the ground. Guren's eyes had gone completely white, and the cocoon of chakra was so concentrated that it was visible around her. Tenten's mouth remained agape as she realised that this move was reminiscent of the sixth Gate of Joy opened by Lee and Guy, and it most probably meant that Guren was going all out this time to take care of matters at hand.

"_Shoton: Isshi Komyo!_"

Once Gozu and Kurotsuchi had entrapped their foe with mud and quicklime respectively, Tenten sent a torrent of _Raiton_ kunai into the cemented prison, further paralysing the zombie. Guren had encased herself in a prism of crystal which now hovered precariously in the air and, focusing her chakra, she now launched powerful heat blasts through the prism's tip straight into Nurari's face, blinding the screaming zombie in a split second. The blasts continued devastating the rest of his body, breaking through the congealed quicklime and mud to pierce the intractable suit.

"You … you bitch! I can't… I can't see… I can't see! You fucking bitch!"

Even in his tormented frenzy, Nurari was able to fire multiple water and fiery shots into the air wildly. Though some of these elemental projectiles managed to splash against the smooth surface of Guren's prism, the shimmering crystal remained impenetrable to any kind of assault. The two Konoha shinobi were now approaching stealthily from behind. Once the zombie doubled over in unadulterated agony, engulfed by both physical and mental torture, Hiashi made his move, forcing him back with a flurry of _Juken_ blows before imprisoning him within his _Kaiten,_ the swirling blue spiral devouring the chakra stored in the now leaking suit.

"Tenten! Now!"

As the heavily pummeled body ricocheted from the ferocious onslaught towards her direction, Tenten followed Hiashi's assault with equally savage moves, firstly sending a wave of ice-imbued shurikens that embedded themselves all over the messy mass before twirling and slashing her way upwards with twin dull machete blades. As Nurari was propelled forcefully to a few metres above ground, the kunoichi catapulted her lithe form into the air, displaying a wide array of weapons as she performed an enthralling series of air-borne _taijutsu_ moves, her intricate control of her weaponry distinguishing her from other weapon users. From wooden staffs to metal cudgels, from shiny blades to heavy maces, Tenten's command of her _fuinjutsu_ was a sight to behold as she continued riding the air currents and summoning various weapons one after another in quick succession. Even as her thumping heart sent a subtle quiver of remorse from within, the teen did not let up, and in fact increased the potency with each hit. As both bodies sailed through the air like ships riding the ocean waves, a severe slash lacerated a flailing arm, a violent thrust saw a spear pierce through a ruptured chest, a zealous blow flattened a bloodied face protruding from a shattered shoulder. Turning an air pirouette before releasing four weighted chains that coiled themselves noisily around the broken figure, Tenten flung her limp opponent back to the ground with a resounding thud before slamming a gigantic, earth-crusted spiked mace onto his already crushed body.

"_Nunoshibari no Jutsu_!"

No sooner had the clouds of dust settled did Sunagakure's Cloth Binding technique work its magic, the unearthly cloth wrapping itself ethereally over Nurari's tangled torso. Before the cloth reached his neck, the defeated zombie directed his glazed eyes towards the hovering Konoha youth, mumbling a soft "Thank you" before his torturous reincarnation was finally ended, a look of serenity on his bruised and battered face.

As she blinked back an incoming gush of hot tears, the kunoichi turned around to find Gozu tending to Guren's own weakened form, having used a huge amount of her life force in her overwhelming technique. Even as she struggled to her feet with her henchman's help, she was already raising her voice at her former enemies.

"Seal us as well, quickly! Before Kabuto discovers our treachery!"

While the terrified Suna soldiers obeyed after Hiashi repeated Guren's unexpected but very believable command, Tenten heaved a heavy sigh as she fought to regain some composure. Stepping steadily towards the green-clad woman, she formed a genuine smile when an assertive nod was thrown at her direction even as the white bandage started coiling over the Edo's feet. She awaited one moment before exclaiming, "Yukimaru… he's safe with us. Naruto brought him back to Konoha, and we're all looking after him."

The look of confusion crumbled into one of sheer relief and joy. The red lips curled upwards, the facial muscles relaxed and the eyes welled up. Knowing that there was just that little bit more she could do, Tenten added that Yukimaru missed Guren immensely and had even referred to her as his mother. The female Edo, totally overwhelmed, croaked a ragged "Why?" before she fell silent in anticipation while still maintaining her wan smile. Tenten could feel the anxiety of the resurrected woman as she choked on that single syllable, and a strange sensation surged from within as she attempted to sound as genuine as she could.

"If the shoe fits, why not?"

Hearing a second heartfelt "Thank you" from yet another individual she was battling with just an hour before moved the sniffing girl to raise her hand and give an awkward wave to one whom she had sworn to apprehend earlier. The bittersweet emotion was gnawing at her core as the cloth wrapped itself over Guren's head, with the woman wearing an expression that showed that she was finally at peace with herself.

"You lied to her," Hiashi remarked, though not in a reproachful manner, once Gozu had been sealed as well. "Hinata told me… Naruto buried the boy back in our village when ANBU members retrieved his body from one of Kabuto's hideouts. You gave her peace and a calm mind, even though she was your enemy."

Tenten fell to her knees while gazing at the three mummified beings and the scorched battleground, nodding silently in response to Hiashi's words. While this battle had finally been won after such an arduous journey, she felt more heartache than ever before, as she was now forced to acknowledge that emotions and bonds were so intricately intertwined. In a daze, the events of the morning flashed through her muddled mind, events once again that were not as simple as they seemed on the surface but were actually representative of the human psyche, even of humanity itself. She found herself repeating in a whisper, the words General Darui had presented to her in the tent when she had queried cautiously why he was allowing her to hold on to the Bashosen,

"If the shoe fits…"


	51. Chapter 51

**Part 7: Heart Matters (1)**

"Take that, you murdering scumbag!"

Ino Yamanka found herself ramming her tightly clenched fist right into yet another unsuspecting victim of her _Shintensen_ prowess, having entrapped him within her unorthodox jutsu three seconds ago, enough for her to warp his senses and render him useless just for those mere moments. Wincing slightly as she felt the bridge of his nose break, the feisty kunoichi made a quick turn and drove her dripping kunai into her second prisoner's torso, before launching her own body away from the next wave of bloodthirsty, raving clones stumbling clumsily towards her.

Ever since Ino and her team had got over the initial shock of seeing the head of Kiba's sister land right in front of them, only to discover it morphing into that of a deceitful White Zetsu clone, they had been once again caught up in a seemingly never-ending battle with nests of White Zetsu clone soldiers that just kept popping out of nowhere. With almost half of the medical squad they had been sent to rescue lost, it had been up Team 10 and a few survivors trying their best to fend for their lives. If not for Chouji's looming presence holding the fort in his massive glory, it was possible that they could already have been thoroughly wiped out by the treacherous horde long ago.

"Ino! We have to retreat! We have to get behind Chouji!"

Shikamaru's anguished holler was followed by the sight of several shinobi soldiers sailing through the air, flailing their arms helplessly as they were flung forcefully by trails of shadow being delicately controlled by Konoha's young star strategist. Ino's unwilling heart sank as she was forced to recognise her own growing debility even as she staggered backwards. The past hour's exertions were definitely taking a toll, even on the gigantic form of the rampaging Chouji who was still earnestly stomping the surrounding grounds with much gusto. She watched in cold terror as a cloned impersonator sank his grotesquely sharpened fangs into the neck of a fellow Alliance soldier's glistening neck, the eerie glint in his narrowed eyes taunting her to do something about it, for both of them knew that if she activated her _Shintensen _prowess now to stop him from killing her fellow comrade, she would be pounced on by the White Zetsu clone impersonators who were surrounding them.

That was when the memory of the man who had sacrificed his life for her half an hour ago forced its way to the forefront of her mind once again, and Ino Yamanaka furrowed her brows as she flexed her smarting fingers and raised her trembling hands, ignoring the dozen threats around her, ready to activate her fearsome technique despite the perilous odds.

That was also when the ground exploded right in front of her, solid earth thundering its way out of the surface with nary a warning as it rumbled upwards to protect its charge. Blinking in disbelief, and in great relief, the blonde Konoha teen was half expecting Team Guy's weapons mistress to appear with that Banana Leaf fan firmly in her grasp, but the figure that landed right on top of the temporary structure was another dark-haired female clad in standard Iwagakure attire. Recognising her as one of her friend's several acquaintances that she had made in the past twenty-four hours, Ino was just about to query about her fellow Konoha peer when the spunky female leapt straight back into battle with a shrill war cry that belied the tomboyish image she portrayed.

Taking a few seconds to catch her breath, the Yamanaka teen scrambled frantically out of the protective fort, feeling the anxiety build up within her once again. Her eyes found her fellow Team 10 comrades quickly enough, and two new figures were already making their presence known in the surrounding chaos, the _Doton_ user who had rescued her from certain death and the head of the Hyuuga clan from her own village. It was almost impossible to read their expressions as they engaged the startled impersonators with their sudden, unexpected savagery, taking them out by the dozens within just a few minutes.

"Tenten… where the hell is Tenten… Tenten!"

The abrupt extrication of fear almost caused her aching heart to burst out of its confines when her fellow Konoha kunoichi finally came into full view, darting into the fray with fleeting steps that betrayed none of the angst and apprehension the owner was harbouring. Ino allowed the tension in her veins to be slowly abated as she took in her breaths in gulps, watching as her friend tore through the lines with her arsenal of ninja tools.

With the expeditious entrance of three Alliance shinobi who possessed drastically more offensive and explosive tactics that took out the enemy with greater ease, it was evident even to the reckless clones that sheer numbers alone would not win the tussle alone now. With a stalwart fighter capable of generating powerful _Doton_, _Suiton_ and _Yoton_ jutsus in the mix, the Zetsu clones were thrown into disarray by Kurotsuchi's volatile attacks. Hiashi's _Juuken _combative moves were so effectively thorough in their execution that broken bodies were torn apart or sent flying through the air with single palm thrusts. In addition, Tenten's winning combination of projectile assaults and close-ranged _taijutsu_ techniques was raising havoc as well, and soon the treacherous clones were breaking ranks and beating a hasty retreat, sinking into the ground or fleeing into the forest.

Before she could rush forward to hug the older Konoha girl, Ino was stopped by Shikamaru, whose terse expression reminded her of what had been happening in the preceding hour, and quite suddenly, she understood her friend's forewarning grip on her sore shoulder.

"Where the fuck did you go?!"

Barely seconds after the remnants of the Zetsu troops made their escape, Tenten found herself unceremoniously manhandled by the last person she had expected. She inhaled quickly as the surly man grabbed her shoulders roughly, his fingers biting into her flesh as he almost lifted her entire body from its spot.

"You … you bloody brat!" the enraged man continued yelling as he threw the girl to the ground. "You promised! You promised to help us! You were supposed to protect everyone! Where the hell did you gallivant to?!"

Tenten's beating heart pulsed its way to the pit of her stomach, as she tore her stricken gaze from the fiery eyes of the youth who was currently admonishing her, quickly scouring over the battlefield in vain to attempt to make sense of his frenzied state. Ever since she had met him the day before, she had been treated with nothing but respect and friendship by this man, but his violent outburst was now signalling the end of a supposedly amicable relationship. Glancing towards her Konoha peers, she found them all wearing solemn looks as they all avoided eye contact with her, their Konoha flak jackets and outfits covered by grime, dirt and blood.

Lots, and lots of blood.

"You killed them… you killed them!"

The youth's words forced Tenten to look at his flushed face again, and the tears just started streaming from her eyes as her worst fears were acknowledged. Before she could mutter a single word, she felt the back of his hand connecting smartly with her right cheek and a coppery taste filling her mouth. The impact threw the girl back to the ground and she fell backwards with a resounding thud, even as she heard her friend crying her name out in astonishment.

"Don't you dare cry! Don't you dare shed any one of your crocodile tears!"

"That's enough! Stop it!"

Kurotsuchi's commanding voice seemed to silence the male temporarily, as the Iwa Jounin strode to his side after studying the area, and placed a hand on his shoulder. Her furrowed forehead lost its tension as she replaced her frustrated expression with one filled with regret and sorrow. Tenten's heart almost broke as her female Iwa friend whispered sombrely, "What's done is done. You can't bring Heuchima and … and… Yabuza won't want you to be like this, Mugi."

"She killed them… she killed them! Even Takuma… he … he got killed while trying to shield her friend!"

The horror that was threatening to devour her from within caused Tenten to turn her teary eyes towards Team 10 again, and the sight of her friend's tears falling confirmed Mugi's words. The brunette begged for revelation as she mouthed her name, searching for answers on Ino's own agonised face.

"He… he was barely conscious… but the sound of battle… must have woke him up," the blonde managed to find her voice, quivering at the painful memory. "I was … vulnerable… I'd trapped some of the clones with my _Shintensen_ but must have missed one out. Takuma… he… he somehow threw himself at the Zetsu and… he got stabbed in the heart…"

The kunoichi felt as if she was going to hurl her guts out as her friend's words sank in, but it was Ino's last sentence that really caused her to clench her eyes shut in unadulterated torment.

"Before he died… Takuma told me to tell you that he's… he was sorry for what he'd put you through."

As Mugi bellowed at the confused, woe-filled Tenten to explain her absence again, everyone's thoughts were interrupted by the clear baritone belonging to Hiashi who had spent the past few minutes searching for survivors with his _Byakugan_.

"He's alive! Ino, come quickly! This Iwa medic is still breathing!"


	52. Chapter 52

**Part 7: Heart Matters (2)**

"It was my fault too, Tenten."

With Kurotsuchi's firm hold on her left shoulder, the Konoha teen was forced to slow her steps slightly, even as her line of view never wavered from the rigid back of the strapping male Iwa youth who was carrying the deathly still body of his partner. After Hiashi had discovered that Yabuza was still alive, his body hidden by the fallen forms of other shinobi and White Zetsu clones, Ino had managed to revive him slightly with her medical skills. However, apart from a few weak moans and sputters, the Iwa soldier had not been able to respond further.

Despite Mugi's insistence that he did not want her along, Tenten had stubbornly followed the squad's remaining few, refusing to back down even after suffering a few more heavy-handed slaps and irascible shoves.

"Why would you want to come along this time? So that you'll be able to abandon us again? To leave us in the lurch for the second time, to leave us to die! Get lost!"

It was cold comfort then, that Kurotsuchi and Hiashi had had to take the lead, sending the Ino-Shika-Cho trio back to base camp together to aid General Darui with the six Sealing Team members with the mummified bodies of Team Guren. Even when Mugi witnessed the evidence of the Edo Tensei's presence that had taken Tenten on another wild and high-octane battle elsewhere, he had refused to swallow his understandable rage, yelling at her repeatedly to seek more formidable opponents instead following them on this 'boring, unimportant mission' of bringing the few survivors to the Alliance Medical Division.

"If I hadn't been so wilful, and run off on my own adventure to seek Deidara _ni san_…" Kurotsuchi reproached herself as she fell in step with her friend, "well, perhaps that dreadful Zetsu wouldn't have had the opportunity to impersonate me and start this whole debacle. Those hateful, sneaky bastards…"

While these words were meant to console Tenten, she barely registered them as Mugi's voice continued resounding loudly in her head. The fact that the comrades the once cheery and amiable Iwa male had been holding close to his heart were either dead or in a comatose state, was forcing the young girl to grapple with the turmoil that was gnawing at all the nerve endings of her entire being. Kurotsuchi's confession seemed totally incapable of assuaging any bit of her guilt, for she could not deny that she had actually made use of Mugi's unsuspecting kindness and fervent eagerness to please his new-found friend, for her own selfish reasons. What made matters worse was that the anxiety that had clamped her heart in its vise had been thoroughly erased when Hiashi had whispered in her ear that, "Neji's fine. I activated my _Byakugan_… I was able to see him. He's together with Hinata, Kiba and Shino… and he's… he's safe, Tenten. You don't have to worry."

Having realised that her past hours' exertions had been for naught, since her sole purpose of leaving the Division One base camp had been to make her own way to Neji, to ensure that he was safe and sound, to determine that he had not fallen in battle under the clutches of the White Zetsu army, the weight at the bottom apex of her heart seemed to be tugging it even further downward. Being held responsible for the deaths of her fellow Alliance soldiers was something she had never thought she would have to bear, especially since, as many would put it, she had been heralded for her valiant acts ever since she had come into possession of the mystical weapon that had once belonged to the Sage of the Six Paths. However, it was the thought that she had actually abandoned any thought of protecting the injured shinobi whom the faux Kurotsuchi had gathered in order to cut down the number of available medics, and the knowledge she had even ignored the uncomfortable feeling she had when she encountered that imposter earlier just before she set off on her own route, that were killing her.

The fact that she had hardly registered a thought for Takuma, who had eventually met his end in his own heroic act of protecting one of her best friends, was another cause for the self-depreciation slicing through her core. Though she had accepted that her former battle-comrade had been manipulated by the Akiya impersonator and had not been in sound mind when he had caused her to go through one of the most humiliating moments of her young life, Tenten had to admit that after she had freed Ino and herself from Toroi's magnetic clutches, there had been a faint resentment towards the Suna shinobi.

And that resentment could actually have vanquished any desire for her to see Takuma recover from his near-fatal wounds, and caused her to hardly register him in her radar any longer. That startling realisation caused her to freeze in her tracks, and Tenten held her breath as that unwelcome thought brought a visible shudder that swept through her body. She blinked as she finally felt the pair of hands supporting her, and met Kurotsuchi's gaze as if this was the first acknowledgement of her presence for the past few minutes. As she exhaled shakily, Tenten struggled to find words that would be able to express how she felt, words that she knew would definitely sound empty and vacant in Mugi's ears if he would actually even bother to listen to her ever again.

"I have to admit that I am at fault, Kurotsuchi," she managed to croak as the other female continued to hold on to her shoulders, as if the removal of her hands would cause Tenten's frail body to crumble on the spot. "All that has happened… it's my fault. I had a bad feeling about your imposter… yet … yet I allowed her to continue leading the squad into danger. I'm usually… I'm usually much more judicious than this… yet… yet I've managed to foul this entire mission up on my own due to my impetuous act."

Before the Iwa Jounin could respond, Hiashi's voice announced that they were approaching the medical camp in a few minutes. Kurotsuchi tightened her grip on her friend's arms and gave Tenten a gentle shake. "Come on, we'll just do what we can do now to ensure Yabuza's recovery, all right? Security's particularly tight here, so I'm certain we'll not meet those troublesome clones here. Everything's fine now, pal."

Even as she nodded feebly, drained and exhausted both mentally and physically, Tenten knew in her heavy hear that everything would not be fine.

And for once, she wished she would not be proven right.


	53. Chapter 53

**Part 7: Heart Matters (3)**

"Oh … there you are. Your friend… the Iwa soldier… he'll be fine, Tenten. Ino managed to patch him up well enough, and now Shizune's healing him nicely. You don't have to worry."

Slightly taken aback at the informal way Haruno Sakura was addressing one who was more senior than her, Tenten acknowledged those heartening words with a slight nod. The pink-haired teen had busied herself with readying supplies once she had stepped into the medical tent, giving information to her fellow Konoha kunoichi in a tone that portrayed barely any emotion. At this moment however, she raised her torso upright to face her peer and wore a quizzical look on her face. "Is there any else you need in here?"

Tenten shook her head as she recognised that look of caution Sakura was now wearing. Across all divisions, everyone had been instructed to be on high alert, especially the medical camp since the White Zetsu clones were mainly targeting Alliance medics, Sealing Team members, as well as those who were injured. Cutting down the numbers of the Shinbo Alliance Force in that way had unfortunately been a deadly and effective tactic, as the headquarters continued to provide distressing reports that the number of shinobi soldiers being taken out showed no signs of abating.

"I don't want to disturb your work, Sakura. I… I just want to know a little more about… I heard from Shikamaru about your encounter with the Neji impersonator… and… and I just want to know…if you don't mind."

The look of doubt vanished immediately, replaced by one of understanding and concern, and the Hokage's star apprentice agreed to the request without delay. It was quite rare for Team Guy's spunky female member to be spluttering through her words, and the much softened demeanour she was wearing now just went to show how greatly affected she was. Sakura spent the next few minutes relating the incident, and at the end of her recount, noticed that her friend was only responding via silent nods, barely even attempting any eye contact with her throughout the one-sided conversation. Genuinely perturbed, the Konoha medic and female brawler sat herself down beside the dark-haired girl, taking her cold hands into her own.

"Thank you, Sakura… thanks for letting me what happened," Tenten mumbled softly as she continued looking down at her lap. "And thank you for the information you gave…if not the entire alliance will definitely be in more dire straits now."

For as long as Sakura had known her, the weapons expert had never spoken in such a solemn tone before. Granted that they were not particularly close, for unknown reasons mostly due to the fact that she was the star pupil of the Hokage whom Tenten had idolised since young, the two girls had always maintained a cordial friendship, even if they shared the same bosom buddy in Yamanaka Ino. Noting that the older girl was clearly not in the right state of mind, Sakura asked a question that she never ever fathomed she would.

"Tenten… do you want me to help bun up your hair?"

The chastised teen girl finally raised her head, dumbfounded, caught unawares by this utterly unexpected question. Sakura was wearing a look that was so gentle and compassionate, yet Tenten still found her query weirdly mind-boggling. Stranger still was her response following it,

"Yes, Sakura. I would like you to help… bun up my hair."

Holding their gaze for a mere moment longer was sufficient to send both girls breaking into girlish giggles, the intensity of the atmosphere suddenly plummeting to oblivion. The initial hesitant sniggers augmented quickly to hearty guffaws, and soon the whole tent echoed with merriment that one would never expect to find in the middle of such chaotic mayhem. Shizune popping her head quizzically through the tent flaps ignited a whole new load of unrestrained chuckles, and the disgruntled general of the Medical Corps exited abruptly, grumbling about how youths should know how to behave better when the world was at its end.

"Thanks… I really needed that."

It was evident minutes later that Tenten was not just expressing gratitude for having her hair back in its rightful buns, and Sakura acknowledged that with a light pat on her friend's back. Placing her expert hands over a swollen and bruised cheek, the medic cast a glowing aura from her palms. The patient let her lids droop and felt her lashes kiss as she basked in the energy pulsating through her raw and tender flesh, attempting vainly to push the invading memory of how she had received that bruise in the first place. Even as Sakura worked her magic however, a sense of discomfort surged from her chest yet again, and the trickling warmth caressed her face in tiny rivulets.

"It's ok… whatever you're blaming yourself for… it's ok. Let it out, my friend."

Refusing to wallow in self-pity for more than a few moments, Tenten disobeyed her physician's orders as she dried her tears soon after her cheek had healed beautifully, choosing to pour her woes out to Sakura's patient ears instead. Knowing that her friend could have other injured patients to attend to did not seem to deter her from sharing, and the previously disoriented girl soon found herself re-telling her tale from start to finish, leaving only the most minute details out.

"And now… now I feel so foolish!" she spat as her right fist pummelled the make-shift bed. "If I had not acted so rashly… if I had only thought of asking Hiashi-_sama _to locate Neji's whereabouts using his _Byakugan_ instead of plotting my own course of action without actually using my stupid brains to think..."

"Your friends would all be dead. Including the two men and the female from Iwagakure."

Momentarily stunned by the interruption, Tenten faced the pink-haired girl with an incredulous expression. A firm nod was followed by an analytical explanation that, while did not make the Division One soldier feel any better about the loss of lives at the forest, proved her friend's earlier words to be absolutely true. Tenten had only wanted to accompany the medical squad led by the Kurotsuchi impersonator for a short spell, and even her stumbling of the real Kurotsuchi's battle with the resurrected Guren and her henchmen was by accident.

"Logically, if you had not strayed away from the medical squad, the Iwa female would have definitely been killed by Guren and her team. What's more, it was only due to Ino finding out from Chouji that you'd left the camp that the Shikamaru quickly gathered Hiashi-_sama_ and the Sealing Team. If they had not bothered to go after you, the whole squad would have been annihilated, and who knows what the Edo Tensei versions of Guren and her men would have done to your division if they'd reached your base camp to rescue Kakuzu and his hearts? You foiled their plans, Tenten, even if by accident. You foiled Kabuto's plans and saved many more lives."

Astounded by Sakura's keenly observant scrutiny of her words, Tenten lowered her tingling body back to the bed as she realised once again that Fate had been playing her the whole time ever since the war began the day before. It was as if everything had occurred the way it did for a purpose, and the Konoha teen could only surrender to what it had planned for her. The discovery of the Bashosen had clearly opened up a whole new world for her, and this novel world seemed to want to continue introducing untrodden paths and fresh challenges for her to bear.

"The true question now, Tenten," Sakura seemed to be slightly relishing her sudden status as a psychiatric expert, "is that with all this information and the fact that you're now much closer to Neji than before, how will you move on from here? Are you going to return to Division One with the rest later, or are you going to continue your way to Division Two and look for Neji? We really are much closer to his division at our current location."

It took a few seconds for it to dawn on Tenten that whatever her friend was saying was exactly right, and that out of the blue, the urge to meet her Hyuuga teammate was re-ignited and escalated to its former glory.


	54. Chapter 54

**Part 7: Heart Matters (4)**

_**This chapter is linked to the NejiTen one-shot I wrote, "Kibaku Kaiten" - **__** s/7780811/1/Kibaku-Kaiten**_

"They're lying low for now… De-activate your _Byakugan_, Neji. The other Hyuugas are keeping a look-out."

The long-haired youth grimaced slightly at his fellow Konoha peer's well-meaning imperative, understanding that what had happened the day before was still fresh in his comrade's mind. Shutting his eyes for a second, he felt the veins and arteries around them recede and lose their prominence on his fair skin. Inhaling deeply as he took a cautious inspection of his own chakra levels, he made a mental note to secretly disobey Kiba Inuzuka within the next few minutes once he got out of his sight.

Ever since Neji Hyuuga had collapsed due to immense chakra loss the previous day, his Konoha friends had been treating him as a helpless invalid, adopting an overly precautionary stance over him as if he was an incompetent destitute. While he did appreciate their concern, he was more irked by how he could have been reduced to such a state, rather than the attention the Team 8 members were showering him with.

"He's a Jounin? You're kidding right? Why is he so bloody weak then?"

His hot-headed friend from the Inuzaka clan had launched into a tempestuous tirade against the impudent Kumo female, who had actually strode over nonchalantly to the medical area the night before to sneer at the pathetic state he was in. While the two youths were bickering heatedly, Neji had tried his best to block out those brusque words, but it was clear that even his normally quiescent mind and tolerant personality could barely bear the coarse accusations so ruthlessly hurled at him.

"That stupid bitch is looking over again," Kiba spat to no one in particular. "Ugh… just looking at that gloating face makes me want to puke."

Glancing towards the bush at the other end of the clearing where the olive-skinned girl was, the Hyuuga prodigy felt his skin prickling a little, but the nod of acknowledgement from Karui threw him off slightly. It was just a split second later that he noticed her expression changing to one that portrayed more irritation and annoyance; as he turned his head, he now saw Kiba's flared nostrils, gleaming irises and petulant frown directed towards her. It was as if the two were having a stand-off even from such a distance, and all of a sudden, in a very unexpected moment, Neji stammered something he never thought he would ever say to anyone.

"Maybe… maybe she likes you, Kiba. And maybe you like her too."

The abrupt switch of the boy's expression, from a snarling retort to a genuinely flabbergasted astonishment, brought an intense crimson colour to his cheeks. Noticing that even the red fang tattoos on his already tanned skin could not hide the befuddling embarrassment that had found its way to creep up his neck, Neji managed a smirk that grew into a full smile when Kiba yelled at Akamaru to 'Shut up!' when the dog gave an assertive bark of agreement.

This amusing exchange calmed his jangled nerves a little, and the Hyuuga teen let his tense shoulders slacken as he sat back down onto the ground. While the chakra drain incident had caused Neji to doubt his own stamina and abilities, something that he never thought could happen to him, he had to admit that fighting alongside his Konoha peers again was proving to be an enlightening experience. Fighting closely together with his cousin was bringing them closer than ever before, and Kiba acting as an overprotective younger brother was something he had not predicted, yet appreciated greatly. It was unfortunate that without General Kitsuchi and his daughter giving them proper commands and instructions, Division Two had had to rely solely on intel provided by their sensors who were linked directly to the headquarters. What aggravated matters was the number of more senior members of the troops that they had lost within less than a day, and without Neji and some other elite Jounins taking charge of the situation, the chaos could have intensified to irreversible proportions.

As Kiba carried on protesting vehemently about how he would never be attracted to 'that crude and foul-mouthed girl', strangely in hushed, urgent whispers behind the bushes with him, he allowed his mind to wander for a while. The unexpected revelation the night before of his own feelings for Tenten was still sending odd sensations through his body, and he was somehow thankful that he had finally come to terms with his emotions, even if it had been such a critical juncture of his young life. What made it even weirder was not the fact that he had come clean to Kiba of all people, but how he had taken so long to come to terms with his attraction towards one whom he had been spending so much time with. Well, that, and the fact that this rush of emotions was occurring at the northen end at the Land of Lightning, miles and miles away from Konoha.

"Neji, my senses … they're picking up some movement from behind us… we're the closest."

The duo, together with Akamaru, got quickly to their feet and bolted forward, antsy to take out more of the White Zetsu impersonators as quickly as they could. They had barely covered a few yards when four slumped bodies landed with some impact around the vicinity, each with a lone kunai lodged in the middle of the forehead. Before they could respond, the few shinobi reverted to their White Zetsu forms, all wearing awestruck expressions at the end of their short times in the world of the living. Neji's _Byakugan_ was already scrutinising the chakra patterns of the lone soldier who was taking slow, hesitant steps forward, wielding two katana blades in her hands. When the chakra signature finally became clear to his _dojutsu_ abilities, his white eyes widened as he took in a quick intake of breath, almost gasping in disbelief.

"Tenten?"

It was Kiba's almost raspy cry of incredulity that jolted Neji out of his dazed stupor; in fact, it was his friend and his pet dog who reached the figure partially cloaked by the shadows of the towering trees. True enough, the face of the girl he had been pining for came into view, the appearance of her glistening doe-eyes and grateful smile a visual spectacle that was now literally taking his breath away. Still, even though all he wanted to do at that very moment was to hold grab Tenten's callused hands, the ever guarded Jounin opened his mouth to exclaim for Kiba to be warier, to be more prudent in case she was one of those goddamned imposters.

"You… you told me that you hoped you would not want to meet the resurrected version of your father on the battlefield. That was after we had fought the Edo form of Hayate-_senpai_ at the Tonika village, remember? And Kiba... when we fought Guren's men… you and Akamaru hid underground while I protected Lee and myself with my Iron Protection Dome."

Tenten ended her short monologue tentatively, and Kiba saw the obvious relief wash over Neji's face as he sank dramatically to his knees, himself nodding and Akamaru barking exuberantly at the confirmation that the Konoha kunoichi was the real deal here. The Headquarters had already established that the _Narikawari no Jutsu _technique the White Zetsu clones used allowed them to create perfect duplicates of anyone, simply by contact, even possessing chakra identical to those they were impersonating along with anything they might be wearing. Thus far, however, it did seem that what they could not do was to copy techniques, let alone absorb memories. Fears allayed and nerves soothed, the Konoha teen brushed his fingers through the back of his wild, messy hair subconsciously as he watched the girl kneel down right in front of his emotional friend. As she finally closed her hands over Neji Hyuuga's trembling own, Kiba felt a warmth course through his veins on the second morning of the war, one filled with tension and uncertainty, but now also filled briefly with tender affection. He decided to leave the pair in their own devices, and motioned for Akamaru to follow, breaking the tranquil silence only to pay a compliment as he walked past them,

"Your hair looks nice in that ponytail, Tenten!"


	55. Chapter 55

**Part 7: A Friend in Need (5)**

"So… you're saying she's really Tenten?"

With troops scattered all over the area, Division Two was keeping a keen look out for any potential White Zetsu impersonator lurking around. Tensions remained tight and taut throughout the forested land; the absence of their designated regimental leader from the Iwagakure village had indeed created a dark aura over many soldiers who were feeling their morale decreasing with every passing hour. What was still a little gratifying was that there were still a substantial number of sensors alive to carry out their necessary duties to keep the Division as safe and secure as they could. Having been reinforced by squads sent from Division Five, the Special Battle Division of the Allied Shinobi Forces, the close-range combatants of the second division were at least bolstered by fellow soldiers who were skilled in various techniques, their sensor-like abilities essential in a precarious situation that required every living person to be as alert as possible.

Right now, three Konoha youths who each possessed unique sensor skills were taking a short reprieve from their responsibilities, with the hasty and unforeseen arrival of one of their own swiftly becoming a curious contention of opinions. Shino Aburame turned to stare right into the eyes of his male teammate, who for the past two minutes, had been recounting how Konoha's weapons mistress appeared right in front of them after having traversed across the land on her very own. Despite the dark glasses hiding Shino's eyes from sight, Kiba could feel their intensity as he inched closer towards him.

"Stop doing that, Shino!" he yelped after feeling a chill run down his spine, courtesy of his strange friend yet again for the umpteenth time in the past few years. "I told you that makes me uncomfortable! And yes, we've established that she's the real Tenten. What she's told us… well, let's just say a Zetsu clone wouldn't have been able to tell us what she did... Stop staring at me like that, for God's sake!"

After Kiba grouchily declared that there was no way an impersonator could have known what Tenten told Neji about his fears revolving around Hizashi Hyuuga being resurrected, even the third member of Team 8 had to nod excitedly, eager to contribute to something positive.

"Neji-_ni san_ … he did look worried during one of the clan meetings before the war… when my father warned us that we could be facing Kabuto's treachery using his dreaded Edo Tensei techniques, even past comrades and allies that we might not expect. That was indeed after we helped Naruto-_kun_ at the Tonika village… so I guess what Tenten-_chan_ said… must be true."

Behind his mysterious glasses, the Aburame teen's eyes narrowed as he absorbed this information. While what Kiba and Hinata were saying did make sense, as he threw a pensive glance at the Team Guy duo who seemed to be caught in their own dreamy world a distance away, the prickle of apprehension did not seem to wane. The team's night-time rendezvous with Hinata's imposter in the cave was still invigorating his sense of caution, and it was he who had discerned that the Zetsu clones could have already collected personal data on the Allied Shinobi forces, especially members from Konoha, courtesy of the captive Yamato. Even then, Shino had to admit that Yamato would not have been privy to such a private conversation between Neji and Tenten. Knowing the temperaments of the Hyuuga teen, his loyal female confidante would not betray his confidence and share such personal knowledge of his distress with others in order not to incur his wrath.

"Leave the two lovebirds alone, Shino," Kiba stifled a yawn as he stretched his arms out. "They must have lots to tell each other... since she probably came all the way to …"

The gaping mouth that accompanied the sardonic look of skepticism on his friend's usually calm and collected face caused Kiba to twist his torso sharply around in an agonising attempt to suppress his laughter; simultaneously, Hinata blushed and lowered her gaze while veiling a shy smile. His "You guys never tell me anything!" riposte sent his Inuzuka teammate spiralling out of control, choking back his squeals and chortles so unsuccessfully that he was soon sprawling out over Akamaru's body.

As he strutted away as coolly as he could back to his post, abruptly ending his much-needed break out of spite, the master of insects caught something with his keen, observant eyes. He slowed his steps slightly and shifted his stance so that his side profile was facing his Konoha mates again. While his eyes continued taking in the scene of his fellow peers communicating, his eardrums continued to be invaded by a piercing voice that was both abrasive and authoritative at the same time.

And quite suddenly, Shino Aburame knew what had to be done.


	56. Chapter 56

**Part 7: Heart Matters (5)**

"If not for you… if not for the fact that you taught me how to conserve my chakra properly…" the girl lowered her upper eyelids, her voice immediately registering a mixture of trepidation and revulsion, "I might have succumbed… to the effects of that treacherous fan… as soon as I took those first two swings…"

The Hyuuga male felt an odd sensation pumping through his torso, his throat suddenly parched. As Tenten continued with the harrowing tale of how she had had to rise up to the occasion, endangering her young life in order to ensure the survival of hundreds of others, Neji had to grip his knees tightly as he sensed the woe pouring out of the kunoichi's soul. With each inhalation she took, her tale became more profound; with each quiver of her voice, her vulnerability became more heartfelt. When she finally wrapped her cold hands over his own again, he was abruptly lifted out of his stupor, and he realised he had actually been quavering in abhorrence and agnosticism.

"I'm okay now, Neji," the girl mumbled almost incoherently, her emotions now worn so loosely on her sleeve that they were soaking through every pore of her being. "I am… safe… because through my whole ordeal, only one thought kept me going… and that was to meet you one more time at least…"

Neji had never witnessed such raw sentiment from his teammate, and it was making his heart ache so badly that he could hardly find the right words to respond. Shuddering uncontrollably as she leaned in, he wondered when had Tenten ever appeared this fragile, this tenuous, and he realised that he could not find any memory that could even compare to one tenth of the frailty being so outrageously displayed now.

"I… I thought I … I thought I'd never see you again, Neji… and that thought … was… was so unbearable…"

He finally felt the weight of her head on his chest, which seemed as if it was going to implode due the pressure exerted on it. While this was not the first time they had fallen into each other's arms, and Tenten had given him impromptu, friendly hugs after successful battles and missions, it had never been like this. Even the tentative hug she had given him before they were divided into their respective divisions… the one he had no idea how to respond to … was differed vastly from this.

That day, the Konoha peers had all been separated into the five divisions, and the slight grimace on Tenten's face was palpable when she had realised she would be 'all alone' in Division One. Just as he had approached her and placed his hand on her shoulder, Tenten had turned around, wearing her usual grin and assured him that she would be all right. The words had caught in his throat and he had merely nodded, keeping his eyes on the scroll in her holster.

"Neji."

He had raised his head only to find her eyes glistening with obvious tears. Had she not said that she would be fine? Were her words just a front to hide her inner fears, the occasional complaints and whines about her not being as strong as her comrades in Team Guy and the rest of their peers? Before he could respond, she had wrapped her arms over his shoulders in an awkward hug... awkward only because Neji did not know where to place his own hands or how to react.

"Please take care of yourself. I won't be able to support you with my weapons during this war."

That was the Tenten he had been grievously separated from, the kunoichi who had always appeared selfless, spunky and ever masterful in providing essential support for her teammates. Even if there were times when she would whine or lament about Guy Sensei and Lee's atrocity towards arduous training sessions or attempts to speed egregiously towards distant destinations, it was simply her being more level-headed and rational. More often than not, Neji would be her partner in crime and join her in lambasting the two notorious green-clad Master and Student combo of unbridled brazenness, and he had somehow always enjoyed the feeling that he and Tenten frequently shared the same thoughts and similar ideals.

"Don't… don't you feel the same way, Neji? Aren't you… aren't you happy… that I'm here… that I've found you…"

The lump stuck in his throat seemed to be hurting him, as he attempted, to no avail, to cajole his teammate to reduce the force she was using to cling on to him. It was not the fact that he knew how Kiba and Hinata were carrying out such a barely shrouded voyeuristic act behind the clump of bushes a few yards away; rather, it was the fact that Tenten was making him feel so perplexed, so uncomfortable, by placing him in such an incommodious situation that he hardly knew how to react.

And that was when he felt a jolt spark through his body. For as long as he had known her, Tenten had never once made him feel uncomfortable.

With that realisation, the adrenaline siphoned so quickly through Neji's blood vessels that he was almost going to throw the kunoichi off his body, his prickling senses forewarning him that the person that was holding on to him must definitely be an imposter, even if she had managed to convince him earlier that she was not a White Zetsu clone. Before he could do so however, Tenten mumbled something that seemed to send a kunai piercing through his heart.

"I'm dying, Neji… the side effects of the Bashosen… I was never meant to wield it… that was why I was so desperate to meet you…"

Scarcely able to digest the words that were burning his ears, the Konoha Jounin finally caught the female Chunin by the shoulders and raised her torso up brusquely, beseeching her to tell him more with his stricken eyes. Tenten seemed to have stemmed her tears from flowing, for her cheeks were no longer wet, but the scarred, tormented expression she wore bore testimony to the waves of devastation that were crashing within her, and a racking sense of guilt tore through Neji's entire being when she apologised limply for her afflicted behaviour.

"I know I don't usually behave this way, Neji… but after what's been happening… when I discovered from one of the medics… that I've been poisoned… that I barely have a week left on this world… I just knew I had to see you… to tell you how I feel… to tell you that I love you."

Utterly dazed and thoroughly beaten, the Hyuuga prodigy could feel his mind screaming in retaliation that this could not be true. His confession to Kiba the night before about his own deep-set attraction towards Tenten now came roaring back at him in thunderous resonances, the irony that he had only just come to terms with his true feelings sneering at him so crudely that he felt he could faint. His own experience of chakra loss causing him to recognise his own mortality now appeared to be mere child's play as compared to the true life-and-death scenario that had befallen his teammate, one individual who was now more cherished than he had ever admitted. The muted silence between them was agonisingly jarring, and it was he who now took the initiative to place his own trembling hands over hers. He thought that he would never be able to verbalise how he was feeling, but with the essence of time driving him forward, Neji Hyuuga managed, throatily, shakily, to finally muster his courage and find his lost voice,

"I love you too, Tenten."

The look that Tenten returned was one filled with gratitude and so much affection that it seemed almost impossible to utter another syllable. Neji felt his own regret squeezing his nose and tear-ducts as he struggled to regain his composure, taking in the face of one whom he had unwittingly adored for so long. As he braced himself for his inadvertent first kiss, he closed his eyes and prepared to lean in closer, his senses tingling all over.

"Neji! Tenten! Look out!"

Even before Kiba's warning yelp reached his ears, Neji Hyuuga had already formed a protective bluish cocoon of pure _Kaiten_ energy around him and his partner. His instincts, even without having his _Byakugan_ activated, had given him a few seconds before their attacker pounced in, allowing him more than ample time to erect his signature shield that was ripping grass and soil off the ground. Powering down, his eyes blazing with white fury, he placed himself in front of Tenten who had managed somehow to scramble to her feet, one hand holding on to her twin katana blades, the other wielding a lone kunai.

"Tenten of Konoha!" the intruder greeted gruffly, her voice as condescending and churlish as Neji could recall from the previous night. "I hear you're Konoha's mistress of weapons and you're able to wield a sword pretty well. I'd like to challenge you to a duel!"

With that loud proclamation, the unmistakable glint in her amber eyes flashing with derision, the red-haired, dark skinned female lowered the sword that she had just used and turned around, revealing herself to be Karui of Kumogakure.


	57. Chapter 57

**Part 7: Heart Matters (6)**

"Are you crazy? What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

Kiba's clamour of repugnance rang loudly through the area, drawing more prying eyes and inquisitive whispers to the unexpected commotion. A few shinobi mainly wearing either signature green or grey flak jackets, viewing the incident as some sort of a showdown between Konoha and Kumo, rose from their resting positions and strode boldly closer, throwing hostile, impertinent glares at one another as they approached. Apart from the current leaderless state of the Alliance's second division and the fact that many of the soldiers were edgy due to the White Zetsu clone invasion, there were quite a number of Kumo shinobi who still harboured resentment towards recent events courtesy of Konoha's famed renegade, Uchiha Sasuke. Similarly, rumours of how the Kumo kunoichi currently in the hot seat of attention had savagely beaten Uzumaki Naruto to a pulp in the middle of his own village were now adding oil to the fire, the breezy morning air now rife with such pertinacious tension that at any moment, it might snap and escalate to irrevocable proportions.

"Stay out of this, Konoha puppy," the Kumo Chunin made an exaggerated gesture of stretching her left arm, her right hand resolutely gripping on to the hilt of her long katana. "Mama's got work to do. Go brush the fur of your dog or something. It stinks."

Before the feral Izunaka male Chunin could begin yet another bout of verbal diarrhoea against this vexatious individual, his sister Hana Izunaka, appeared from behind and placed a firm hold on his shoulder. Her companion dogs, the Three Haimaru Brothers, followed loyally and consoled the clearly distraught Akamaru, the latter having been so publicly insulted and shamed for no rhyme or reason. Giving her brother a look that warned him not to intervene, the veterinary medical-nin turned her large, black eyes towards the scene, the two locks of hair framing her face flickering slightly in the morning breeze. It was as if she knew something that Kiba did not, and the impulsive lad, even though his ire was amplified by the audible sniggers from Kumo members of the captive audience, grudgingly obeyed but not before hissing irritably, "But they were about to kiss!"

Neji, his palms raised in his usual stoic, battle-ready stance, eyed the challenger with a scowl and a hint of curiosity. While he was definitely irked by her stand-offish and even loutish behaviour, he somehow suspected that all was not that met the eye. Even though he understood that this young woman had paid Konoha an extended visit, he knew for a fact that he and his teammates had not come in contact with her team back then. Furthermore, since they had been split into different divisions, Karui would never have had the opportunity to even know who Tenten was, let alone learn about her proficiency with ninja tools and _kenjutsu_. With his _Byakugan_ activated, Hana's appearance at the scene was noticed, as well as that of Shino striding in purposely using a path that Neji himself had taken together with Kiba just a while ago.

This was someone's plan being put into action.

Even though he had made this deduction fairly quickly, the Hyuuga youth maintained his protective stance, deciding to play this out and deem how else to proceed. His robust baritone expelled his words clearly, betraying not a tinge of the knowing suspicion within. "Stay away, Karui. Tenten has no wish to battle, not when we're in the midst of a Zetsu invasion, and certainly not when she's been poisoned by the use of the Bashosen."

A few startled gasps of anxiety and disbelief were heard, mainly from his Konoha peers. However, that statement made Karui laugh out aloud in derisive contempt. Her brows furrowed and her lips were drawn tight before she made a short exposition of how the Bashosen was revered as one of the treasured tools of the Sage of the Six Paths, and that it consumed enormous amounts of chakra when used, so much so that normal humans would die after using it for only a short period of time. When the tools later came into the possession of Kumogakure, only the Gold and Silver Brothers had the large chakra reserves necessary to constantly wield the treasures without fatal repercussions.

"Based on Headquarter reports, Kinkaku and Ginkaku were already sealed yesterday!" the Kumo female spat, her brows knitted more tightly than ever. "Are you claiming that you, a mere Konoha girl, were able to use the Bashosen, summon the elements and go up against our enemies? Don't make me laugh! You should be dead by now and wouldn't even be standing here!"

"Tenten-_chan_ has a natural affinity with ninja tools!" It was a pleasant surprise for Neji to hear Hinata's shrill voice pipe up with such unquestionable confidence of her fellow peer's abilities. "We won't even be a little taken aback if she was able to do what she's saying she did!"

"Then you might be taken aback by the fact that she's lying!" came the equally vehement retort. "While the Bashosen may be able to drain your chakra, it does not poison the user!"

"How would you be able to know that?" Hana finally broke her silence. "If what you're saying is indeed true, no one could have survived the chakra draining effects of the Bashosen, thus it would be almost impossible for anyone to verify if the ninja tool possesses any further side effects, isn't it?"

The Konoha Chunin's words threw Karui off slightly, and a questioning look of self-doubt took over her perpetual scowl for a second. All this while, Neji's _Byakugan_ was doing its work, studying the chakra flow patterns in his teammate's body now seemingly ravaged by a dubious poison. Sensing that Hinata was also doing the same, and that they had established the same conclusion, and knowing that Tenten would have defended herself by now and returned Karui's accusations with equally spitfire remarks, he tilted his head towards Karui and gave her an acknowledging wink.

"_Kumo-Ryū Omotegiri_!"

Pretending to manoeuvre away immediately from Karui's vicious slash that was cutting swiftly through the air, Neji left the stricken figure behind him in the lurch. He turned a graceful half-pirouette as he moved and was soon taking in the scene where the supposedly skilled Team Guy kunoichi was hastily retreating while holding on to her blades in front of her.

"Neji! What're you doing?"

The impersonator was soon parrying Karui's incessant attacks, stumbling within less than twenty seconds as the Kumo female drove relentlessly through her path. Kiba's sharp outcry was soon silenced as he finally understood what was going on, as simultaneously, battle cries picked up around the surrounding vicinity.

"Her accomplices must have been alerted as well and have started to move," Hana spoke, as she readied her trio of canine beasts. "Kiba, Hinata, leave this to Neji and Shino. We must aid the rest!"

Kiba was just about to query what his male teammate had to do with the matter, when he recalled how the Aburame teen was the one who had voiced his concerns about the credibility of the stark appearance of their peer. Realising that he could have been the one who had put this plan in motion, he managed a wry smile and paused just one last moment to admire the rage that his verbal combatant was portraying through her impressive swordplay, before dutifully following his sister with his loyal companion now bounding excitedly forward.

"Stop!"

The fallen figure opened her eyes when she heard Neji's command, only to find three reproachful individuals hovering over her. Coughing and choking, the strain of the past minute's near-fatal exertions tearing up her insides, she managed a victorious look as she drew her eyes into snake-like slits. "Just three seconds more, and I would have stabbed your heart like a pig, Hyuuga boy."

Gritting his teeth, Neji recalled how she had been holding on to a single kunai in her left hand after Karui first attacked them, chastising himself for having been so careless just because his senses had been thrown off by the diabolical lies of a treacherous clone. Still, the sole reason for him shouting and ending Karui's rampage just before the finishing blow was his need to get answers from this repulsive being.

"You interfering … meddlesome… brats," she continued spluttering through the crimson blood that filled her sardonically smiling mouth. "My plan… it would have succeeded…"

Shino announced in his usual apathetic manner that his investigations of the four clones that 'Tenten' had supposedly taken out had shown that with the way the kunai was embedded each forehead, it was almost impossible for them to have been used as projectile weapons almost simultaneously.

"Those clones drove the kunai into their own foreheads and fell from the tree branches, as instructed by you," the Aburame youth stated in a matter-of-fact manner even as his comrades seemed startled by the gruesome revelation, his dark glasses reflecting the exposed creature's bloodthirsty look on her battered face. "The angle of each kunai's point of entry was way too off and the force was obviously lacking. I know Tenten and I know her sense of accuracy. If she wanted to, the kunai would definitely have been driven much deeper in, and not even allowed much blood to trickle through the wound. You didn't think this through as much as you thought you had… imposter."

Genuinely awestruck by his friend's ingenuity and the extravagant amount of effort he had put in to determine the truth, Neji was even more gratified by the way Shino appeared to understand and acknowledge Tenten's skills and abilities so accurately. Inwardly, he reprimanded himself once again for having succumbed to his overwhelming desire to meet the object of his affection, so much so that he had practically thrown caution to the wind and allowed such a blasphemy to happen. As Shino ended his explanation with how he had approached Karui to test his theory by getting her to challenge 'Tenten' to a duel, he saw the impersonator's jaw slacken and she now faced the three of them with a grim look that belied the storm that must have been raging within, to have her best laid plans so utterly foiled within the flutter of a heartbeat.

"You think … you're so smart… just like that brat… that brat who went around with that fan of hers… taking us out … taking out Kakuzu's elemental masks… taking out Toroi… taking out all of those who stood in her way…"

Karui was the first to register some alarm on her face as the abomination's words confirmed that Tenten had been wielding the Bashosen after all. She bit her lower lip as her eyes flashed in plain astonishment; while her rash behaviour usually overtook her senses most of the time, she knew that this particular situation was not hers to take charge of. Neji wore an equally baffled look, his white eyes widened in consternation and fretfulness as he awaited the clone to continue. It seemed as if even though she had lost the battle, 'Tenten' was enjoying her last moments to the fullest, ready to spill the beans fully, even as the grisly lacerations across her torso clearly showed that she would perish soon enough.

"Oh, she thought she was so indispensable, that Tenten!" her voice now took on a new decibel as it evolved to one usually associated with pure lunacy and unadulterated agitation. "Playing the role of the heroine of the First Division, of the lone wolf… summoning all her weapons from those mystical scrolls… all those elements from that dreaded, pesky fan! Even when she knew she could die… that her chakra would be eaten up in its entirety… she used the Bashosen! In front of everyone in the division, she took down Kakuzu's last mask with that … magical, extraordinary combo of projectile weapons and the fan's elemental properties! Even when her comrades beseeched her to stop… she couldn't let go… oh no, she couldn't, she couldn't forgo the chance to finally step up and be recognised as the hero… that brat… that… that magnificent creature!"

Neji could feel the bile rising in his oesophagus as the clone, still in the guise of his beloved partner, threw her head back and erupted into a maniacal frenzy, half shrieking and half chortling through gnashing teeth. The voice no longer resembled Tenten's, as she snapped her head back in place, irises burning fierily as they taunted Neji's own, untied hair thrown into disarray as she howled, "Oh her mind… her mind was absolutely delicious!"

At that point, Neji was almost close to losing it, faltering in his approach only due to Shino holding him back. His heart was accelerating in trepidation as the vile being gleefully confessed how through deceptive manipulation of a Suna Sealing Team comrade named Takuma and the psychic abilities of a resurrected famed Kiri shinobi called Chukichi, she had broken into Tenten's vulnerable mind and extorted such exquisite information about her past. Out of all the multiple personalities she had managed to acquire in that short span of time, the Zetsu clone nefariously hissed that the Konoha kunoichi's was the most enthralling experience.

"Why do you think, I have traversed all the way here to meet you, Neji Hyuuga?"

Thoroughly stumped, utterly speechless, Neji could hear his heart thumping deafeningly in his ears as he felt moisture trickling down his cheeks. It was a mixture of his perspiration and tears, for he could tell where this vulgar, horrific exposition was leading to. His comrades too, were bracing themselves for the unspoken veracity; Shino now had one arm over Neji's shoulders, while Karui had also moved closer to the Konoha duo. 'Tenten' had lowered the tone of her voice, partly for dramatic effect, partly because she was close to dying. She glowered at the trio through heavily lidded eyes, still maintaining that triumphant smirk, as she spoke of how she had gathered other White Zetsu clone impersonators to this site in a bid to eradicate the whole division by taking out the elite Jounins, so that the troops would be truly without leaders to take charge. Snickering slightly even in her dire state, she revealed how she had ordered the other clones to leave Neji Hyuuga for her to deal with personally.

"You were on her mind the whole time, Neji Hyuuga," she rasped with some difficulty in attempting to retain some strength, the last bit of control over her diminishing time. "You were on her mind… even as she breathed her last."

Neji sank to his knees slowly, the villain's last words resounding repeatedly in his mind as he watched the face of his beloved touch the ground with a thud, all the while wearing that smile… a smile that on a normal day, he would recognise as Tenten being blissfully, cheekily delighted over something as simple as a hot bath or discovering a new ninja tool at her disposal. As the discordant clangs of battle raged around them, his tears streamed down in earnest while the impersonator eventually reverted back into its White Zetsu form, and with this finality, the last vestige of Tenten's presence vanished as silently as Neji's tears falling to the ground.


	58. Chapter 58

**Part 7: Heart Matters (7)**

"You've really made up your mind then?"

Throwing a furtive glance at the two burly Akimichi clan members guarding the gate, Tenten lowered her head as she gave a faint nod. Kurotsuchi heaved a heavy sigh, understanding how her friend would be feeling extremely awkward if she returned to the Division One base together with her and the bristling Mugi; never had the Iwa Jounin ever experienced this truculent side of her male counterpart before, and even she who was usually much more belligerent and aggressive currently had to watch her words and behaviour with him. Yabuza's mishap had clearly affected the young man so much that he could only function by putting on such a pugnacious front, and the only one who had to bear the brunt of it was unfortunately the Konoha Chunin. The two new friends embraced each other warmly as they bade a soft farewell, their sincerity and earnestness clearly exuding from the way they held on without moving for a full thirty seconds.

"You're not going anywhere until you explain yourself, young lady."

Her eyelids fluttered open to find Shizune glaring sternly at her directly from behind Kurotsuchi, right in her view. The Fifth Hokage's able assistant had her arms folded and her forehead heavily knitted, her large black eyes shimmering with obvious disdain, her thin lips drawn taut with disapproval. Tenten disengaged herself from Kurotsuchi's arms, feeling her cheeks heating up again. It seemed as if she could barely catch a break and was now probably in the bad books of yet another person. Wordlessly, the captain of the Allied Shinobi Forces' Logistical Support and Medical Division beckoned her fellow village ninja to follow her into her tent. Exchanging one last look with her Iwa friend, Team Guy's weapon specialist braced herself and obeyed.

As she entered the tent, the first thing that captured her attention was Tonton's affectionate squeal, which she returned with friendly pat on the tiny pig's head. She then exchanged yet another greeting with the towering Akimichi guard, who erased his staid expression for a few seconds and replaced it with an unquestionable grin of recognition, even that of fondness. Blinking in mild surprise at Shizune's query of how the two knew each other, Tenten turned to face the Akimichi man again and both started sniggering.

"How I know Gouza? Oh, I've been having staff practices with him since a few years ago. He's one of the Akimichis' most renowned staff wielders… one of Chouji's older cousins actually… and I always take the opportunity to train with him whenever I have time in between missions."

Shizune seemed more than a little abashed with the Chunin's honest reply, and her embarrassment intensified when Gouza spoke in return to Tenten's revelation. She had hardly addressed the man when he was given orders the previous night before to stand guard by the main medical tent, where Tsunade's whiz medical-nin apprentices were conducting the autopsy on the White Zetsu clone who had impersonated as Neji Hyuuga. This was the first time she had even heard his voice, and it seemed as if the strapping youth was taking advantage of this situation to loosen his vocal cords as much as he could, heartily sharing how she was the first female ninja to have ever defeated him and sent him crashing to the ground with just five effective thrusts of her sturdy staff.

"And that was when she was just a Genin! Can you beat that? And I was like already almost four times her size back then!"

"That's… great… Gouza," the older kunoichi stammered uncertainly as the beefy man's guffaws subsided, her demeanour almost transformed from just a minute ago outside the tent. "Would you mind… if you leave us for a moment? You need a break as well… right?"

The guardsman's beady eyes widened in astonishment at such an audacious suggestion, his manner reverting almost instantaneously to his previous stoic solemnness as he proclaimed that his orders were to strictly stand guard in the tent, since the compound was in peril of impending infiltration from Kabuto Yakushi's demonic forces. Even when Shizune repeated her plea as courteously as she could, the Akimichi gruffly resisted, barely even flinching as he grunted his resolution to remain within the tent.

"Oh c'mon Gouza! You know we're both safe and sound with you outside. Just take some rations and get some rest all right? Don't make me kick your ass again!"

Gouza's facial muscles relaxed again as he chortled once more, pretending to pat the girl forcefully on her back with his hefty hand, a gesture Tenten followed with a playful kick to his shin as he made his way out. Amazed, and perhaps even a wee bit insulted, Shizune huffed in annoyance and promptly returned to the matter at hand. Having heard from Sakura about Tenten's decision to make her own way to Division Two, she had insisted that she told her everything and thus found out to her utmost horror, what the Team Guy kunoichi had been up to ever since the battle commenced on the western coastal areas of the Land of Lightning.

"I cannot believe… cannot fathom… how you think this could actually be a wise choice to make!"

Expressing outright dismay, the black-haired woman had taken the whole tent as her stage, venting her stupefaction across the space while frequently throwing her hands in the air, causing her flapping smock to swish the still air about. While it might have seemed comical to witness her in this flustered mode back in Konoha, now that she was in the hot seat, Tenten barely found this experience remotely funny. When Shizune mentioned how she could not imagine that she already had to constantly stress over Lady Tsunade's bounteous ill-informed, irrational decisions and yet she now had Tenten's as well, the teen girl raised her head almost immediately, ending the sullen silence she had been enduring for the past few minutes.

"I am not yours to take care of. Please get that straight."

Though thoroughly appalled and startled out of her wits by the girl's hostile, dauntless retort, Shizune maintained her composure as she stood her ground, the shudder that went through her body almost invisible to the naked eye. Even then, Tenten could tell that her boldness had unnerved the older kunoichi and clenched her jaw with some regret. Shizune was still maintaining eye contact with her, the steely gaze unwavering as it sought to unravel the mystery that was Tenten's mind. The stifling silence seemed to be making Tonton uncomfortable, and the pig meekly trotted out on its own without daring to make a single peep.

"Tenten."

Despite that firm utterance of her name, the youth refused to back down, gritting her teeth as tightly as she could even though it was hurting her within to act in such an obnoxious and wilful manner. It was not as if she could not comprehend Shizune's lecture and the meaning behind her harsh words – as harsh as the kind and calm medic could sound anyway. Rather, she was just getting weary of having to obey any more orders, when all she wanted was to get to Neji's side and fight beside him again. Never did she imagine she would get to hear the following words from someone she had only had a very indirect connection with – she was simply the attendant of her idol, one who got to be with Tsunade almost every single day.

"When I died… I felt it," Shizune's selection of her first words was indeed wisely calculated, for the younger girl immediately lost the staring contest as her eye lids fluttered in confusion. "When… when that Human Path… extracted information from my mind about Naruto's whereabouts… I felt every single second of it. When I thought my ordeal was over, when he… when he removed my soul from my body… I could feel it as well. I didn't know how he was doing it… I didn't even know it was … it was possible for someone to do that… but when he pulled my soul out from my being, I could feel my whole body reacting to it. And… and it was painful, Tenten. I knew I was going to die… when I found that I had no control… no control of how my saliva was dribbling out of my mouth… I knew my life was ending. And it's true what they say, Tenten, about your whole life flashing right in front of your eyes just before… before you die. My whole mind was on fire, as if my brain was being fried. It must have taken that … that creature… just a few moments to finish the job, but I remember it felt like hours… long, excruciating hours that never seemed to end."

A racking sense of guilt took hold of Tenten's heart and gave it such a violent squeeze that the pressure mounting within the chest threatened to burst out of her rib-cage. Both kunoichi had sat themselves down on the medical bed, their earlier looks of defiance melted away to form a more subdued countenance that had successfully lifted the air of tension in the tent.

"When I got resurrected," Shizune continued while shaking her head as Tenten was murmuring her apology and begging her to stop re-living such painful memories, wiping away the warm moisture that had trickled down her supple cheeks, "I found out that Tsunade-_sama_ was in a coma. Do you know how that made me feel? There was this odd sense that I had been brought back to life, and her life was in exchange for mine. I know it sounds silly… but for many nights, I was crying myself to sleep beside Tsunade-_sama_'s inert body, praying that if I had to remain… dead in order for her to awaken, so be it."

For the umpteenth time in the preceding five minutes, Tenten wished that the ground would rumble its way open and swallow her whole. Her cheeks were literally burning with shame at the impudent way she had behaved, and she could only continue admiring the plainness of the medic's smock, only lifting her head to meet Shizune's woeful eyes when the woman's fingers gently touched her chin and bade her to do so.

"After this is all over, you won't want Neji to find out that you had perished in the war, Tenten."

That was the straw that broke the camel's back. Shizune must have been a master storyteller, for the way she changed the intonation of her voice to sound as tender and loving as she possibly could, coupled with the stark brutality of the words she was speaking, were more than what the young kunoichi could bear. The dam was broken and the gates, collapsed, for Tenten now sought solace in the endearing warmth of the older woman's arms. While she was not sobbing convulsively, the occasional sniffles and the dampness on the smock were ample evidence of the girl's inner turmoil. Even so, Shizune continued speaking, her soothing voice washing over her patient's tingling senses, sufficient medicine for the treatment of lost and tortured souls.

"Know that when you two meet again… when this madness has ended… your new lives together will start anew, and … and staying alive is the best gift you can give each other. I know that in war, it is inadvertent that lives are lost. But I want to know that you will fight like a strong, responsible kunoichi of Konoha and live up to your name as our village's top weapons expert. Using the Bashosen almost killed you yesterday, but you actually survived using one of the exalted treasures that belonged to the Sage of the Six Paths, and that is no mean feat indeed. You have been given your role as a soldier of Division One, Tenten. Acknowledge that, return to your camp, and fight the good fight together with General Darui and all your other comrades. We will prevail, and you will meet Neji after that, and your reunion will be utterly joyous and wonderful."

It was as if the heavens were dying to thwart Shizune's plans of cajoling the addled mind of her young charge, for no sooner had she barely finished her ardent speech did their pink-haired comrade burst into the tent with no qualms for interrupting their privacy, the urgency in her voice abruptly extinguishing the glow in the tent.

"Captain Shizune! We've got trouble!"


	59. Chapter 59

**Part 8: Off the Medical Charts (1)**

His glassy eyes were rolled back, revealing ruptured veins and arteries that had filled the entire eyeball with a red so scarlet that it was already dripping out of the socket. In a similar yet much more severe fashion, the dark red fluid was staining the area above the man's upper lip, both nostrils expelling it with a gushing vengeance. Closer inspection revealed that his tongue had been swallowed deep into the throat, as if the body's internal organs had somehow exerted a vacuum effect that sucked it backwards down his windpipe. Even then, his mouth was not spared of having the blood streaming out of it, as if his tongue was an unsuccessful dam that could not prevent the coppery substance from spilling through. It was thus strange to find the man's ears free from such a bloody invasion, the inner parts of the conch-like shells showing little evidence of the ear-drums being infected the same way.

Each bed was painting a similar picture, with dark red paint seeping through the white sheets. Each bed was telling a similar story, as the substance crept through each fold, crease and stitch as it travelled outwards. Each bed was revealing a similar plot, that of which its occupant was the main character caught in an inane structure that offered no plea, for the prologue effectively meant an immediate downward crash straight to the unforgiving epilogue.

"Poison… asphyxiation…"

It did not require a medic to make such a deduction, but the captain of the Logistical Support and Medical Division's two words of confirmation still caused Tenten to feel the apprehension building within. Having been alerted by Sakura, the two kunoichi had sped to one of the tents where the injured were being temporarily housed, the dismally bleak scenario heightening everyone's senses dramatically. As Shizune and Sakura continued analysing the dozen or so corpses lying in their own pool of blood, surmising that someone had somehow managed to sneak in and performed such a gruesome act, Tenten's mind was racing as she studied the uniforms of the dead. While there did not appear to be a conclusive conjecture at first glance, it took the observant kunoichi just a few seconds to discover that almost half of the shinobi on the beds were from Sunakagure.

"Sealing Corps… they are still targeting the Sealing Corps members and probably the medics," she mumbled, a sudden memory popping up, one where she was almost a victim back in her own division and her Yamanaka friend was the one who had saved her in the nick of time. "The medics… the killers are clones disguised as Alliance medics themselves!"

With that proclamation, the Chunin dove out of the tent's flaps, comprehending the severity of the situation but still keeping a personal stake. Darting around the medical tents swiftly, ears pricked by the increasing signs of commotion around the area but still keeping her sight extremely focused, the teen reached her destination in mere seconds and threw the flaps open. Before the ruffled cloth flapped back down, after only taking a split second to confirm her suspicions, Tenten had already sent a kunai flying straight into the nape of the figure hovering around a patient's body, and plunged another sharpened blade into the small of another's back.

"Mugi! Get up!"

The figure slumped near the entrance had arrested her attention even as she took on the other two suspects with hardly an inhalation. Parrying the first's feeble thrust of a lone kunai with her own, Tenten kneed the other's stomach at the same time before kicking him back with a fuller leg extension. Finishing the latter off with the kunai she had used against the first, the blade driving full force into his forehead even before he landed properly from the kick, she avoided yet another lacklustre slash simply by just twisting her torso slightly and performing a half-turn that allowed her to elbow the back of her attacker's neck. As soon as his face crashed straight into the ground, a kunai met the exact spot where he had just been hit and ended the short-lived battle which had lasted less than half a minute.

"Tenten, check the patients!" Sakura yelled as soon as she entered the tent and witnessed her friend's _taijutsu_ feats. Seeing that the pink-haired medic already had her palms over the stab wound on Mugi's rib area, she gave an absent-minded nod as her eyes searched frantically for Yabuza, heaving a sigh of relief a few seconds later when she caught sight of the rhythmic rising and falling of his chest. Just as she was about to reach the end of the tent, she heard a sudden, sharp gurgling sound behind her, only to turn around and find a patient whom she had just inspected frozen with a kunai stuck to the back of his head; he had apparently raised his torso right after and held a kunai in his right hand. True enough, the half-raised figure soon transformed, in front of Tenten's eyes, back into that of a White Zetsu clone. Sakura returned her wave of thanks with a slight grin before she went back to administering her considerable medical ninjutsu skills once again.

"We have been compromised, haven't we?"

Tenten shut her lids momentarily as her friend's grave tone found its way to spark yet another of the countless prickling sensations she had felt all morning. Her previous day's thrilling battles notwithstanding, she realised that her earlier fights with Guren's team and the White Zetsu impersonators had ended hardly an hour ago, and yet another battle was already on the verge of unfolding. Before she could respond, her eyelids stretched themselves outwards as she caught sight of a patient shaking violently.

"Sakura! That female Kiri soldier! She's been poisoned!"

Despite the expertise of the Fifth Hokage's young apprentice, another victim was soon added to the mounting number of casualties among the Allied Shinobi soldiers that had fallen into the clutches of Madara and Kabuto's crafty schemes. Even as Sakura removed her trembling hands from over the female's torso, the choking blood running uncontrollably from the exits of her face, Tenten could tell that she was already making several deductions in her mind, conclusions that the older kunoichi was probably drawing on her own as well as she witnessed the woman take her last shuddering breath.

"These poisons are from our own supply tents," Sakura was trying to sound as detached as possible as she bent over to study the unconscious Mugi's wound for a few more moments before nodding that he was safe. "In mild dosages, the supplies we have are non-fatal but now they…the imposters are pilfering and mixing these poisons together to form a more potent concoction and feeding our patients with it."

The two kunoichi made their way back to the medical compound's leader to give her the sobering news, and in minutes, Shizune was barking orders for all medics to report to the area outside her tent for inspection. Kurotsuchi, upon getting news that both her friends had almost come to harm yet again, was fuming with outright distaste and launched into a verbal tirade filled with such profanities that even Hiashi had to stop pretending that he was unaffected by the flowery language, his flabbergasted expression of undisguised horror quite a sight to behold. With the irate Iwa Jounin and Konoha's _Jyuuken_ master providing protection for Shizune as groups of confused medics reported to their leader, Tenten was keeping watch from a distance, attempting to detect any suspicious individuals showing any sign of fear or any attempt to avoid the lines.

That was when Gouza, who was still dutifully standing close by to Shizune despite the added reinforcements, suddenly wore a startled look, the change in his facial expression noted immediately by Tenten. She noticed him sneaking away furtively from the main tent; alarmed, she made to follow him, only to find him glaring at her with his bo-staff raised, as if he had been expecting her to do so. Recognising the unflinching, steadfast look on her training partner's face, Tenten released a wooden quarterstaff from her left scroll and faced him wordlessly, keeping in mind to stretch her right leg out to the back as Neji had once told her to.

"I need you to prove that you're really my comrade from Konoha, Tenten," the austere low baritone was something the kunoichi had never heard from her rotund friend before. "Something's caught my attention, and I need you to prove your true identity to me, right here, right now."


	60. Chapter 60

**Part 8: Off the Medical Charts (2)**

It was mostly a quick, silent battle that required speed, agility, precision and strength.

One iron-studded end of the _kanabo _came crashing down into the ground, digging up sand and dirt in the process and splattering the debris all around the area. Usually for other shinobi, this weapon would be too cumbersome to wield effectively due to the weight of the iron appendages at both ends, but it was evidently quite an easy feat for the Akimichi clansman to swing the staff back into the air and twirl it menacingly over his head for two full seconds before he sent a weighted end plunging straight at the wake of his opponent again. Despite his bulk, the youth's steps were deceptively expeditious, his swift manoeuvres and sturdy swinging of his weapon requiring even nimbler, brisker moves from the much more petite kunoichi, who had been warding off blows with a range of middle, hanging and level guards.

Even if Tenten could have actually proven her identity using verbal explanations, the familiar glint in her friend's eyes was more than sufficient for her to follow his alacrity for battle. Though Gouza was evidently using this sudden scuffle to clear his doubts, the girl treated it little more than a training session; as she vaulted over the hardened wood within the split second it touched the earth, the indomitable teen decided that it was time to show her moves instead of evading another assault, her own irises flashing their own shimmering spurt of confidence. With the butt end gripped with her left hand, she performed an outside guard by moving the staff slightly to the right in defence from yet another strike, before bringing it down to parry what she knew from past experience would be a vicious, spine-tingling blow if it connected. Studying the angle of the opponent's wooden cudgel, Tenten then swiftly performed a dart by releasing her forward hand and taking a quick forward lunge. One end of the wooden pole was thus forcefully thrust right into Gouza's gut before the other end was almost simultaneously swung to hit him squarely on the chest. Without missing a single beat even as he staggered slightly, the kunoichi used the strength of her back leg to catapult over his massive head, landing yet another smarting strike on his broad back. Once her sandaled feet touched the ground, she bent her torso neatly in a crouch, swinging her trusty staff across his stumbling feet and the impact caused him to fall onto the ground, chest first, with a dusty thud.

"Five-point attack, just like before. Well done, kiddo!"

There was not a single trace of resentment on the grinning man's face, even as he spat out the dirt that had inadvertently got into his mouth. As he sat up, the sheer relief seemed to be oozing out of his pores as he enveloped the younger shinobi in an affectionate bear hug. Tenten pretended to be choking in jest at first, enjoying this brief joyous exchange with someone she could truly believe in, but reverted to a more serious stance very quickly when she insisted on knowing why Gouza had abruptly be thrown into disconcertion. Back at the main tent with Shizune, he had hardly registered any sign of incertitude about her identity, yet it seemed that one moment of realisation had caused him to react in such a frantic manner.

"I happened to be looking at your direction… and your look suddenly changed!" exclaimed the bewildered Chunin, landing another punch on his beefy arm as if her earlier blows were insufficient wounds. "We had eye contact, but then you just… scurried away so frantically!"

"You should not even have been allowed to enter the medical compound, Tenten, without authorisation from Captain Shizune. That goes for the injured personnel your squad brought in, as well as the others who followed. Something's up… something's brewing, I can feel it."

The Akimichi Chunin rubbed his bruised chin as he conveyed how the medical compound should have been on lockdown mode after the discovery of the first clone impersonator; though Tenten grimaced slightly at yet another mention of the Neji imposter, she listened attentively as Gouza expressed his worries in his recount. Based on his understanding, no other shinobi should even have been allowed to enter the compound since the previous night. Then again, with Shizune having her hands full since then with the utter pandemonium brought about by the threat of the Zetsu clones' infiltration, numerous other happenings could have gone unnoticed since then without her knowledge.

"Based on what Sakura has shown by healing Mugi and what Captain Shizune has told me, they're definitely not White Zetsus," Tenten analysed cautiously, agreeing that at the entrance of the medical compound, they had been allowed in pretty easily. Since they had been in a hurry to get medical treatment for the injured soldiers, Tenten and the rest of her comrades had also not queried much, knowing that time was of essence. "While we can't draw conclusions yet, somewhere along the line of communication, something must have occurred."

Shaking his head glumly, the sheen of perspiration glistening on his pale skin, Gouza's hesitance was clear when he meekly suggested, "What… what if the guardsmen… what if the Akimichi guardsmen themselves are White Zetsu clones?"

The duo briefly exchanged an afflicted look before reaching a silent concession with knitted brows and decisive nods, both emboldened by each other's presence and affirmative thoughts. As she sprang forward with her fellow Konoha Chunin close behind, her mind raced as she wondered whether it was a sound idea to take action on their own, without informing the rest. Though Tenten had never been sent for a mission together with Gouza, she knew that she could entrust him with her life, their years of intense training sessions having developed into an unlikely relationship that embodied values of trust, support and friendship. However, in all fairness, she had hardly any knowledge of his combat experience and she did harbour a tinge of anxiety. Still, she knew that all who were enlisted in the Shinobi Alliance had their own roles to play, and at that critical moment, Akimichi Gouza was about to embark on a path that might require him to go up against his own clansmen, who, at the moment seemed to be taking their jobs so seriously that they had not noticed the presence of two individuals racing towards them from behind.

"Kinza-_san_! Ginza-_san_!"

As if that familiar yelp of respect was to throw the two guardsmen off, Gouza rammed his own massive form right into the man on the right, clearly disregarding the fact that the lion-maned Akimichi was bigger-sized and of a more senior rank than he was. His partner-in-crime was no better, as she engaged the other befuddled man almost at once in a duel, both _bo_ staffs taking turns to perform high-octane thrusts, strikes and parries at devastating speeds. Even if she had the advantage of taking on Ginza by surprise, Konoha's young but renowned weapons specialist could tell at once that this would be no effortless victory. Both their adversaries were no mere opponents, for their clashes soon indicated that each and every one of them were well-versed in staff play, wielding their wooden poles deftly as they each attempted to gain the upper hand.

Tenten scowled as she had to flip away from a particularly powerful parry, the tingling sensation in her hands warning her that the physical prowess of the other fighter was not to be belittled or trifled with. Cursing that her upper body strength would indubitably never be unable to match that of the gargantuan Akimichi's calorie-filled own, the quick-witted kunoichi swiftly rode the air currents and somersaulted over the charging man, who was snarling ferociously at this impudent act. Even though the girl was no longer in his sight, he could not brake in time and ended up slamming violently right into a tree, uprooting it in mere seconds as the entire trunk crashed to the ground in.

The unintended rambunctious commotion brought the fight to a screeching halt; Gouza and Tenten were more than appeased that the two guardsmen were not the ones who had been entrapped – who else would be able to fight so efficiently and possess such physical strength than legitimate Akimichi members? The two hulking guards, their dignity bruised, were however evidently less than amused, and were demanding boisterously for a proper explanation. While he had worn the stout heart of a courageous lion just moments earlier, Gouza was immediately reduced into a stuttering mousy mess, for he had never incurred the wrath of two red-faced senior members of the Akimichi clan.

"You think we are spies?" came the retort, Kinza's bellow echoing throughout the vicinity. "And you think the best way to determine your lame conjecture is to attack us?!"

"Well… yes… Kinza-_san_," stammered the youth timidly, failing to cower successfully behind his younger friend's much smaller frame. "How… how… else could we have accurately done so… if we had not tested your physical strength and your expertise with the _bo_ staff?"

"You could have simply told us to perform our _Baika no Jutsu_," growled the obviously provoked Ginza. "Once we increased in size, wouldn't you have known that we are not pesky Zetsu clones?"

"Oh… right."

Tenten was attempting to wear a look as innocent as possible, but her friend's starkly overwhelmed composure and that awkwardly limp and subdued response caused her to have to stifle an impending giggle by biting her lower lip. It was then that her keen brown eyes noticed two lurking figures melting into the shadows of the trees outside the gates, close to the area of the crash site. Stunned that she had not made the realisation earlier, vaguely recalling the faces of two other shinobi who had been together with the guards, Tenten had no choice but to desert and leave the dumbfounded Gouza to his own devices against his two indignant, inflamed clansmen, her mind whirling in disconcertion and anxiety yet again, as she took to her well-worn heels once more.

"Gouza! Tell Shizune and Sakura to follow my kunai markings! I think I know who the imposters are!"


	61. Chapter 61

**Part 8: Off the Medical Charts (3)**

"What do you think you Konoha curs are up to this time?"

Flinching at the blatant derision, Haruno Sakura greeted the offender with a darkly irate mask as she turned, still keeping a watchful eye on the medic who was under her vigilant inspection. Out of the dozens of medics she and Shizune had instructed to perform _Shosen Jutsu_ so far, close to twenty had failed and met the vengeful wrath of Kurotsuchi and the more composed Hiashi's palms of justice. Among these, most had either attempted to flee or rush in to attack with kunai, but both Shizune and Sakura were kept safe and sound by their circumspect bodyguards.

Two Kumogakure shinobi strode up with nonchalant sneers; the speaker was a young man who had short, black hair under a red turban with circular markings around and a mark under his right eye. His blonde, short-haired comrade had a more austere look as compared to his brazen, laidback aura, his dark eyes studying the situation intently. Both young men were each wearing a sleeveless black shirt with a Kumo signature one-strap-over-one-shoulder white flak jacket, along with their standard red and white shin-guards.

"Don't be rude, Tenga," the blonde now followed, his voice a soft and melodious timbre before, quite abruptly, he too switched to a brasher tone. "Oh look, they don't have their green Akimichi guard dog with them."

"What we're doing, my dear Mister C, is actually your job!" the clearly irked Sakura retaliated with ill-disguised contempt, pointing at the White Zetsu bodies scattered around the area. "Isn't it the duty of the Sensor and Intelligence divisions to prevent a White Zetsu raid of the medical compound? Look at what's happening here!"

Refusing to back down even after exchanging a perturbed look of consternation with his peer, Tenga pushed his upper body forward aggressively, hollering, "Hey! You can't speak to C-_san_ like that!"

"And what makes you think you can speak to us so insolently then? If we don't check if our medics are able to perform the Mystical Palm Technique sufficiently, our casualties will continue increasing in numbers! Now do you want that to happen, or do you want to make yourselves useful around here?"

Now wearing a blank look that strove to veil the mortified embarrassment that was creeping up from below his neck, the Kumo youth announced sombrely that he and C had troubling news. Working together with the rest of the Sensor and Division squads at the back area of the vast compound, they had widened the detection range of their fabricated barrier by directing it downwards.

"Just like what Ao-_san_, is doing back in Headquarters, we sense aberrant activity underground," C's earlier condescension towards the Konoha trio had completely vanished, his handsome features untainted by the harried frown he was wearing. "Based on our calculations, there are at least two groups moving towards the medical compound."

"They must be preparing to stomp us and take everyone out in one fell swoop," Shizune joined the conversation, having cleared the last of those who had obeyed instructions to come forward for inspection. "We seem to have the medic situation more or less under control here. I'm sure there're other clones still within the compound, but now that we've been alerted and each tent has been assigned more medics and guards, we should be able to hold our own for now."

"They'll be here within the hour," Hiashi's foreboding voice came, the warning taking everyone aback slightly, "maybe even less. My _Byakugan_ senses their progress quite distinctly, and they're moving in four lines, not two. It seems that they will be converging at around a kilometre away from the compound and what happens after that is anyone's guess."

Clearly in awe of the Hyuuga clan leader's fascinating, prodigious techniques that were far surpassing those of the assembled Sensor squad in the compound, C had no choice but to eat humble pie, his high cheekbones reddening as he nodded limply. The younger Kumo male was evidently as subdued as his fellow comrade, for he did not even show any visible reaction except for the gawky gulping down of the lump in his throat. Sakura observed the two's discomfort with glee, the smirk on her face glowing brighter every second as she eyed them with blazing irises. Thus, it was totally unexpected when Hiashi turned back and looked at the duo with a similar glint in his white eyes, and actually mocked, "Why so silent? Konoha cur got your tongue?"

The two Konoha kunoichi's eyes widened in amazement at their senior's disparaging, stinging comeback, while Kurotsuchi took the Hyuuga man off-guard when she cheerily gave him a celebratory slap of approval on the back of his flak jacket, roaring in mordant, delirious laughter with yet another tender 'old man' salutation. "Believe me, C," the Iwa Jounin snarled, her steely voice emerging as she directed her next outburst at the man whom she had encountered back at the Kage Summit. "There's nothing 'cur-ly' …haha… 'curly… get it… nothing dog-like about our Konoha comrades, except perhaps their fierce loyalty and dogged determination. I have been fighting alongside them since the break of the war yesterday, and I trust them with my life, especially my pal … wait… where the hell is Tenten?"

Freed from scurrilous stares, the Kumo shinobi wore gratified expressions as Shizune heaved a heavy sigh, claiming that she had noticed how her plucky Konoha junior was sneaking off somewhere. Due to the criticality of the issue with the medic impersonators, she had instructed someone else to follow Tenten's trail.

"She's someone we can trust, so I don't believe she'll let Tenten get into any trouble."

It was the division captain's time to have her flustered cheeks burn a scarlet red, for no longer had she made that statement, did Gouza's imposing figure rumble into view, his booming voice traversing across such a distance that even non-participants of the current assembly turned their heads in astonishment,

"Captain Shizune! Sakura! Tenten says…she wants you to… Tenten needs your help!"


	62. Chapter 62

**Part 8: Off the Medical Charts (4)**

"This… skin… I'm so tired, so sick, of wearing this bloody skin!"

The duo had reached a particularly tall tree in the depths of the forested area, seemingly requiring a break as both leaned against the broad, sturdy trunk. It was the male Sunagakure shinobi whining now, the self-imposed scratches on his portly forearms displaying his vexation. Each mark was longer and deeper than the previous, each wound causing more dark-coloured fluid to seep through. His Kirigakure companion, was however much more sedated, the pinch of annoyance on her face indicating disgruntlement more towards him rather than the situation he was complaining about.

"Simmer down, boy. We've a job to do. Let's just await further instructions before we…"

"What instructions?! What else can we do?!" spat the Suna in palpable distress. "That Konoha pair must clearly know by now that we were the ones who passed on the wrong information to the guards! Of the thousands of Zetsu clones, we two are the unfortunate ones saddled with such an unforgiving task!"

"Our lives don't matter, imbecile. We're clones. We do what our master bids us to," the female's voice remained calm and composed. "Both of us killed these two sensors, so of course we're the ones who have to play their roles. You're acting like a child… and quite frankly, really out of line. Don't tell me you're one of those few mutant clones who actually feel something."

Tenten's sharp ears pricked in excitement as she continued to eavesdrop, having sailed silently through leaves and branches and landed on a wide bough high above the tree where her prey were. Deducing that she had travelled close to about three hundred metres in a north-east direction, she coolly calculated that she had left precisely ten kunai and ten shuriken blades embedded innocently on various tree trunks along the way, each marking with the shuriken lodged just a centimetre above its kunai partner. _Tenten_, she smiled at the coincidence, knowing that her Konoha comrades would definitely be able to follow her trail with no problem.

The mention of the mutant clones sent a sensation creeping up her spine, as she was once again brutally reminded of the Akiya imposter and the traumatic upheaval of emotions she had been succumbed to. It was as if her thoughts were psychically being transmitted to these clones, for her lips parted in stupefaction as the following words entered her curious ears,

"Just like the one that took on the form of that wretched Konoha brat with the Bashosen."

Almost losing her foothold in face of the horrific revelation, the Chunin felt her heart hammering against her ribcage; the male clone was now in defence mode, proclaiming loudly that even White Zetsu clones had the right to have emotions, for without them, they would not be able to function more successfully in the cloaked forms of the allied troops. Tenten prayed fretfully, feverishly for them to return to the topic of interest, for the sense of alarm had scarcely been abated. Her thirst for quickly quenched, for he began praising the subject to the skies, claiming how it was her ingenious mind that had set their plans in motion.

"If she hadn't thought of us impersonating as sensors and medics at this stupid place, we wouldn't have got rid of so many of them in the first place!"

Her rapidly pounding heart sinking in dismal silence, the Konoha kunoichi remained frozen as her target continued rambling heatedly; while he was obviously treating the devious clone in question as somewhat of an idol, his partner stayed coolly nonchalant as she drawled that any of the Zetsu clones could have carried out such plan after receiving orders.

"That's the beauty of it, fool!" Tenten could actually sense the ardent amity and allegiance in his voice, and imagined that his eyes were now shining with passion as he spoke about her impersonator. "She did not need orders from a higher hierarchy! She was intelligent enough to come up with this scheme using her own wit! Using her own smarts! Using whatever knowledge, information or memories that she'd absorbed from that wench to form this unorthodox idea… man, I wish we can all do that! Then the shinobi forces will all be exterminated in no time!"

"Well you're giving her way too much credit," the female yawned and cleared her throat. "You do know that she's long gone from here after dishing out instructions to the rest of us last night, and we're the ones carrying out this whole plan right? And we are also the ones, who came up with the idea of surrounding our hideout in wait… using our _Kagero_ technique… for anyone who could be spying… or watching us from above right about… now."

The sudden rustling of the bushes below betrayed the presence of other individuals; using their Mayfly technique had allowed other White Zetsu clones to merge into the surroundings, effectively concealing their presence. Caught almost unawares by the two clones that were emerging upwards from the bough, Tenten backed away from her insectivorous, plant-like attackers and released two kunai straight into their foreheads. Cursing herself for letting her guard now when she was obviously in enemy territory, she unfurled her scrolls and flew right down towards the ground, her awakened senses immediately picking up several specific locations of her enemies and sending projectiles exploding all over the vicinity in quick succession. Her incredibly accelerated reactions meant more than a dozen less opponents as white waxy bodies plummeted to the ground even from the higher branches. Even then, she knew that she had only taken out a quarter of these undisguised clones. Without even landing fully on her right foot before using her left to launch herself into the air again, the teen girl was now wielding her twin Chinese swords once more, both gleaming blades crackling with bluish lightning energy.

"_Oborozukiyo_."

Leaving a trace of blurry afterimage, the new battle contender burst forth towards the trio of clones that had risen close by to Tenten, her Hazy Moon Night technique, although deceptively a single sword strike, beheading all three in one shot. Momentarily stunned, the Chunin gaped at her saviour's straight, purple hair as she continued slashing her way forward, taking out ten more clones at such breakneck speed that the panic that was overwhelming the area was vociferated loudly.

"Told you long ago, Tenten… you want to be ANBU, you've got to be more aware of your surroundings!"

No longer wearing her porcelain cat mask but still in the standard black and grey ANBU armour, the signature ANBU tattoo starkly present on her right shoulder, the soft, delicate features of brown eyes and red lips soon revealed themselves to be belonging to the face of one of Konoha's finest swordswomen, Yuugao Uzuki.


	63. Chapter 63

**Part 8: Off the Medical Charts (5)**

"I… I thought… I heard you'd … retired."

As much as she did not like to dig up the female ANBU's sorrowful past, Tenten could not keep her curiosity at bay as she stood back to back with her current partner, one whom she had hardly had any form of communication with for the past year. Taking Yuugao's silence as a sign that she was not yet ready to share, the younger kunoichi was once more slightly rattled, more abashed really, by the curt reply, "Less talk, more action! Don't let the two imposters get away! I've got your back!"

With that stark reminder, Tenten darted past fallen bodies towards the targets she had started after in the first place. The Suna male obviously had something to prove, judging from the earlier conversation, for he was now ready to clash head on with one who was clearly adept in swordplay with a single kunai. Even as she analysed that he would reach her in less than five seconds, instead of focusing solely on him, Tenten first sent a kinetically charged sword whizzing through the air and mercilessly impaling the scampering Kirigakure clone from the back. Hearing his fellow clone's guttural shriek caused the Suna clone to halt in his tracks, but the mere metre away made it a cinch for the Konoha Chunin to deliver an electrifying slash across his burly chest that effectively sent the upper part of his body sliding off, meeting the ground in a bloody splat.

"Ten… Tenten…"

Turning around to find that they had been joined by Shizune and Sakura, the weapons specialist wore a genuinely bewildered look at their equally perplexed expressions. It was only when she noticed their straining irises' reflection of the shiny, bluish blade that she was holding comfortably in her right hand, did she realise what the trio was so awestruck about.

"That… that's due to the effect of the Bashosen?"

Tenten gave a sheepish grin of acknowledgement; it seemed as if both of Lady Tsunade's apprentices took a longer time to digest this new reality, for Yuugao simply smiled and gave her a pat on her shoulder, congratulating her on getting this 'major power-up'.

"Still, it doesn't mean you ever let your guard down, you understand me? You took those pests easily enough but during this war, you never know what kind of monsters you'll meet."

"I … I'm sorry but I think I might," Tenten replied boldly, feeling that this sudden lecture was totally unwarranted, even from someone whom she respected and admired deeply. "How do you think I got the Bashosen in the first place?"

The ANBU fighter blinked a few times before flashing a brilliant smile, one that had bewitched many in Konoha but had only ever been devoted to one. The purple long-haired beauty reported that she had been able to detect the cove that had to be the hideout for these White Zetsu impersonators, since there was nowhere else in the surrounding area and the two deceased clones must have led them here due to that reason. Within that half a minute of exposition, Yuugao Uzuki jogged Tenten's memory of why she was one of Konoha's kunoichi whom she held in such high regard.

"We have to take them out," came Shizune's snappy reply. "We mustn't let their other… comrades… have the chance to meet up with them."

Greatly astounded by Shizune's hurried, cursory explanation of an impending assault from more Zetsu troops travelling underground towards the medical compound now, Tenten followed Yuugao's lead and the quartet soon reached their destination in a few minutes. As they moved, Sakura gave her friend a brief update of what had caused the female ANBU to pick up her sword again; working for the Logistical Support and Medical Division, she had been responsible for the safekeeping of shinobi corpses which carried valuable intel such as their _Kekkei Genkai_. During a corpse infiltration, Yuugao had once again met a reincarnated Hayate, whom Tenten had battled with back at the Tonika Village weeks before, was forced to steal the KIA scroll. Unable to fight her former lover, she had caused other team members to get wounded while protecting her.

Tenten had long surmised as much that the only reason Yuugao had left the ANBU was because of the loss of Hayate, and Sakura confirmed this when she retold how she had originally continued to fight to avenge her lover but had eventually been pushed to the point of emotionally snapping, forcing her to see a sword as a symbol of his death. Sakura had then attempted to retrieve a stolen KIA scroll on her own, but Yuugao eventually caught up with her. She and Hayate had clashed but the latter was eventually sealed.

"Kabuto… must have tried to take over Hayate-_sempai_'s consciousness but he was able to control his senses long enough for Yuugao to… to pierce him with her katana," Sakura grimly finished her recount, sighing at the last word as she deduced how the Team Guy kunoichi must be feeling sorry for their senior, and how badly she must be yearning to see Neji Hyuuga right now. The wheels in her head were indeed spinning furiously; Tenten felt her hatred for Kabuto Yakushi flourishing, the memory of how he had so callously abused the late Guren's love for Yukimaru burning her mind. Now that someone closer to home had been hurt by this unforgivable _Edo Tensei_ technique, her thirst for justice grew tremendously. Noting the grace and agility in Yuugao's movements as she and Sakura closed the gap, she felt heartened that at least the swordswoman had recovered from the harrowing experience with her dead lover, and seemed readier than ever to fight the good fight.

"Tenten, you're up."

It was clear that Yuugao understood the elemental prowess of the legendary Bashosen; no sooner did the entrance of the cove appear, carelessly and weakly veiled by scanty bush clumps, was Tenten reminded of her role. She summoned the fan from her right scroll, sprinting forward as the ninja tool's hilt welcomed her firm grasp with its raw frigidity, as if presenting a forewarning augur. Ignoring the mild tremor emanating from her core, the spunky female threw herself into the air as she turned almost a full spin, expelling a riotous holler as she gave two gutsy swings,

"_Katon: Hosenka Bakuryuugeki_!"

The serenity of the morning air exploded, as two mystical creatures swathed in tumultuous flames erupted with an ear-piercing screech and a thunderous roar, before they soared straight into the entrance, searing anything in their hellish path to oblivion. The enormity of the assault was painfully evident, for Tenten landed immediately on bended knee once she watched the majestically fiery phoenix and dragon shoot right into the cove. As muffled screams of horror reached their ears, the combined efforts of Shizune and Sakura restored Tenten's chakra levels quickly and efficiently.

"That was… that was amazing, Tenten!" the pink-haired kunoichi was clearly in awe, her voice cracking as she exclaimed her friend's name. "I… I can't believe…"

"Save your gaiety for later, girls," Yuugao intercepted as she raised her katana. "They're streaming out in droves. Let's move!"

Even though she had been battling together with different comrades ever since the White Zetsu troops and the likes of Kakuzu engulfed the western coasts of the Land of Lightning in chaos, Tenten was almost shivering in jubilation as she unfurled her scrolls to welcome the stray imposters with her advanced weaponry. The surroundings were soon filled with burning figures scuttling around in pure anguish, just like how the day before, Alliance soldiers had suffered the wrath of Kakuzu's elemental masked demons. Still, an odd thrill was enveloping her entire being, as she watched her fellow Konoha kunoichi spring into action, each wearing a savage look of feral intensity as she unleashed her fury. Never had she watched Shizune fight, and the few times she had managed to coax Yuugao to teach her a few moves were never with actual enemy opponents.

"_Okasho_!"

Haruno Sakura sent another shower of rocky debris flying all over with her Herculean strength, taking out several half-burnt, deformed figures in the process. Having kneaded an immense amount of chakra inside her body, she gathered it into her fists and rampaged through more fleeing clones, releasing it in brutal punches that killed the half-drained Zetsu clones instantly. A technique that was actually an application of medical ninjutsu, Sakura's Cherry Blossom Impact was pulverising the rocky ground into minute pieces by the excessive shockwaves, scattering like flower petals befitting the jutsu's name. With her pristinely precise chakra control and ability to fully concentrate on cutting loose, Team 7's pink-haired kunoichi was ploughing through the Zetsu clones like a beast.

"_Shikomishindan_!"

Nearby, the Fifth Hokage's trusted assistant was launching multiple shiny senbons from a devise mounted on her right wrist, the lethal effects of the poisonous darts clear to any observer immediately as one by one, Shizune's targets fell to the ground without much of a struggle. As she turned yet another somersault, Tenten watched in admiration as the dark-haired Jounin shot towards Sakura at astonishing speed, grabbing her from behind and bounding away from danger, firing a dozen poison needles from her mouth as she turned to face the demons mid-run and incapacitating the horde of eight half-human, half-Zetsu deformations.

The battle died almost as soon as it began, the vicinity around the smoky cove littered with dozens of charred and slashed bodies that were all transforming back into White Zetsu clones.

Almost all.

Tenten was just placing her scrolls back in her belt holster and about to hurry back to the medical compound with the others, when she noticed the reflection of sunlight on a metallic forehead protector near the cove's entrance. Senses immediately charged, the kunoichi ignored the wispy heat of the scorched grounds as she rushed forward to investigate, trepidation trickling down her nape as perspiration.

"NO!"

The scream of terror tore through the badly singed air, lasting as long as the girl's lungs could take the tendrils of smoke that were threatening to overwhelm her air passages. By the time they reached Tenten's side, it was already too late for Shizune or Sakura to perform any medical ninjutsu on the blackened broiled body in her arms.

A body that portrayed a male face that was clearly human, and definitely not a Zetsu clone impersonator.


	64. Chapter 64

**Part 8: Off the Medical Charts (6)**

"You never said there could be hostages!"

The cove had not been deep, which meant that Tenten's fiery creatures had had an easy time devouring the occupants within. Cooling the terribly parched space with frigid gusts from a dozen wind-imbued Fuma Shurikens acting as whirring fans, the morose kunoichi had, together with her teammates, scoured the entire cove looking for human survivors. Fortunately for them, there were two terrified Alliance soldiers skulking within a shallow alcove, taking refuge in the indentation of the rocky wall. Yet another badly burnt body was discovered further in however, and it was only with the two medics' best efforts that they had managed to revive the tormented Kumo kunoichi.

"They… they took six of us… as hostages…and killed an Iwa medic…"

The stammering Sunagakure survivor, now safe in Yuugao's arms as the party sailed through the upper canopy of the forest, meekly recounted the ordeal and gave some intel that she had managed to collect, proof of her role in the Alliance's Intel Division. While the Konoha kunoichi team had rightly deduced that the medic and sensor imposters had started escaping from the compound and gathering at their hideout, the quartet now learnt that these jackals had stolen countless weapons and medicines from the supply tents, firstly to sabotage the division's logistical needs, but mainly to gather ninja tools for the mob of Zetsu clones that was traversing to the compound.

"There's always the possibility of hostages. You just have to deal with it."

Accusations flew as freely as the four were scaling the high elements, together with the three survivors. Tenten was outraged, and her fury was further inflamed by Yuugao's cold and cruel comment; though their task had been relatively successful since they had indeed neutralised dozens of Zetsu clone impersonators that had, throughout the past twenty four hours, murdered scores of shinobi soldiers as well, Tenten's particularly vicious assault had effectively destroyed their supplies as well. While she could easily replenish the division's supply of ninja tools with the vast arsenal in her scrolls, what was haunting the girl was how she had unknowingly taken two innocent lives in the process of eliminating their enemies.

"Deal with it? Deal with it?! You have no right! Don't tell me to deal with it, Yuugao!"

As soon as their sandaled feet had touched the ground and Shizune and Sakura brought the trio of survivors into the compound for more intensive treatment, Tenten lunged at the ANBU female with a mighty bellow while she summoned a katana into each of her hands. Once the opposing steel blades met, the resounding clangs silenced the assembly at the gates; Kurotsuchi and the rest watched the duelling kunoichi in morbid fascination, each wondering why the two Konoha females were fighting. While Tenten's frenzied state was palpable, the purple-haired woman wore a mask of blank indifference as she parried and blocked. A mistress of _kenjutsu_, Yuugao's unflinching eyes took a quick survey of the ground and light conditions while she currently took a defence mode, knowing that she now had to study Tenten's capabilities before implementing a practical counter-attack.

Noticing instantaneously that her opponent was analysing her footwork and striking patterns, the younger female held back slightly and concentrated on finding her centre of gravity before Yuugao struck back. Both were soon deploying feigning techniques in order to set each other back by one move and create an opening somewhere, angled in a way to allow a swift direct shot from one's position. The audience gaped as both duellists portrayed such sharp reflexes in their swordplay, wondering how they could be thinking on their fleet feet in the middle of such a skirmish.

"_When striking range is reached, reflexes dictate the outcome_."

Though she was the one who was challenging a more experienced swordswoman, Tenten was still able to dig out lessons taught to her by her opponent from the deep recesses of her mind. Even though the ANBU kunoichi was currently parrying, she was keeping her body at such a precise low angle that Tenten knew that she was readying herself for a quick, flickering strike from below. True enough, her blazing irises caught Yuugao's katana switching hands in the blink of an eye, and in the next instant, Tenten found herself on the defence instead, cursing inwardly for discovering too late that while parrying her blows, her opponent had constantly tried to direct the point of her blade to Tenten, minimising the steps needed to counter-attack. One split second later, the katana in her left hand found itself stabbing the earth, with Yuugao's quick strike at the younger warrior's left hand immediately incapacitating her attack before having to parry it.

"I've told you before, Tenten," Yuugao's lilting voice remained strangely neutral as everyone around them gasped at how effective her one attack had been, "since you chose to use double swords, always be in control of 'the Gate'. You are letting your emotions rule your head, and that's always a big disadvantage for a swordfight."

Tenten's fiery gaze remained locked on the winner's serene own, her left hand smarting from the blow. With the sharp end of Yuugao's sword an inch from her chin, she had no choice but to listen to her words devoid of emotion, as the older woman continued lecturing her on how brash she had been acting since the incident at the cove.

"True, we did lose two of our own by accident, but look at the bigger picture here. When I was scouting and detected such an abundant amount of Zetsu clones in the cove, what do you think my priority was? To get rid of all of them. When Shizune told us about the impending invasion, I knew at once that even if there were hostages in the cove, our responsibility was to take out the clones in the hideout as swiftly as we could. We had no luxury of rescuing any hostage at that time, Tenten, and you know it. Now stop acting like a child, grow up and help prepare for the next fight. You'll never become ANBU if you carry on letting your emotions rule your head. As I said earlier, deal with it, Tenten. You're a Konoha kunoichi, so act like one."

The group parted as they watched Yuugao stride towards the gate, still utterly fascinated and more than a little wary of this mysterious swordswoman. Even as Kurotsuchi came to her side and placed a comforting arm over her shoulder, Tenten was still visibly trembling, her anger hardly dissipated. Her glare had made every spectator turn their awkward stares away except for Hiashi and Gouza who still continued looking at her from the short distance. Yuugao's words were buzzing like flies in her ears, attempting to drive themselves into the logical compartment of her brain, but she was stubbornly, wilfully unwilling to accept them even as she knew deep down in her heart, that they did make a lot of sense. As if she could hear her resentment, the lithe ANBU warrior turned to face her opponent once more, this time with a subtler, mellower expression, as she now spoke much more heart-wrenching words that finally broke Tenten's wall of defence mechanisms.

"We are all fighting for the greater good. I learnt that from Hayate long before, and I just re-learnt that from him… from my dead lover… hours ago. Fight for the greater good, Tenten."


	65. Chapter 65

**Part 8: Off the Medical Charts (7)**

"_Futon: Atsugai!" _

It was as if the eight-man squad assembled at the medical compound had travelled back in time and space, in order to witness the electrical storm created by Kakuzu's elemental masked demons at the western coasts of the Land of Lightning. With the first swing of the legendary ninja tool, its white and red frond still as ethereal and delicate as ever, several tornado-like masses were released, each compressed until it had a very high density before it was released, bursting forth out of thin air and immediately tearing everything in its path. With the wind pressure raised to the highest limit, the resulting blasts could be felt by the bystanders even though they were witnessing the marvellous spectacle from more than a hundred metres away up, safe among the tallest tree branches.

"_Raiton: Gian_!"

As if this monstrosity of an attack was insufficient, the Bashosen's second elemental summon, its wielder raising it towards the high heavens, had emitted multiple crackling lightning spears, their incredibly charged energy scorching their towering targets to bits. With the combination of the fan's duo elemental prowess, Tenten's Wind Cyclone of Lightning technique was soon tearing the forest apart; age-old trees were either unceremoniously uprooted or sliced in halve, while numerous tree-dwelling creatures had their lives ripped out of them in seconds, their only crime being making the unfortunate choice of selecting this part of the forest to live in. The destructive combination of wind and lightning was ironically a beauteous sight to behold, for seeing the whole area churning in such a chaotic frenzy was in indeed mesmerising. Much to the chagrin of the dumbstruck audience, in less than three minutes, a vast area of close to two hundred metres in both length and breadth had been cleared, as if the land had been newly ploughed and tilled for farming.

"_You need to level a part of the forest to prevent them from having any hiding spots… that area will be our battleground... our last stand with the Zetsus._"

Clenching her jaw slightly as she gave a resigned nod of acknowledgement, Tenten's first instinct had been to retaliate against the Captain, reluctant to use the Bashosen again so quickly, with the mishap of using the fan at the cove still painfully fresh in her mind. Yuugao's parting words as she entered the compound, of fighting for the greater good, had however unexpectedly become a mantra for the young kunoichi; ever since she had come into possession of the Banana Leaf Fan, she had had to make quite a number of tough decisions herself; thus, upon retrospect, this scenario was no different, and in fact more dire than ever.

As the hastily assembled crew discussed the plan further, knowing fully well that Hiashi's _Byakugan_ was still keeping a watchful eye on the onward progress of their enemies and that they barely had a half-hour left, Kurotsuchi was the first to bring up a critical point.

"Wait a minute… just wait goddamn a minute! Why is it that almost every part of the plan now seems to be revolving around Tenten using the Bashosen?" the Iwa Jounin's shrill voice was raised sharply; Hiashi's eyes widened as he expected yet another round of colourful expletives from the girl. "In case you've forgotten, she almost sacrificed her life just yesterday while battling that f… that doggone Kakuzu and his masks, and now you're expecting her to swing it around like nobody's business? No way! No freaking way!"

Shizune huffed a little as she shut her eyes momentarily, her head about to split apart from the mounting pressure. Her hands were gripping the sides of the table so tightly that her knuckles were turning white. While she was not annoyed by Kurotsuchi's churlish intrusion, and she could see her point very clearly, she felt as if she was almost at her wits' end, the anxiety and adrenaline racing through her veins with each passing minute. Sakura quickly explained that she and Shizune would be staying close to Tenten and keeping her chakra levels up, and Hiashi added that with his activated _Byakugan_, he would be able to detect if her chakra fell too dangerously low. While appearing a little appeased at first, the young woman's brows furrowed again when she pointed out that in the heat of battle, everyone could be separated or too preoccupied with their own fights with the Zetsus.

"No… I can help too," came a stolid baritone that had just entered Shizune's tent. "Master Hiashi doesn't have to be the only one keeping track of Miss Tenten's chakra levels."

The seven individuals in the enclosed space were all slightly stunned by the unanticipated entry of the two Kumo male shinobi, wearing drastically different attitudes and personalities from their earlier impetuousness. This time, with no condescending, derisive air about him and with a more humbled expression, C's handsome features were greatly accentuated, his cheekbones strong, his dark eyes determined. Sensing skepticism, the Kumo sensor drew his thin lips back into a smile.

"I can fight… I want to fight. And Tenga can also help out with the defences back in the compound."

As soon as he revealed a few of his jutsus that could help in dealing with the clones, a few pairs of eyes lit up in excitement, a few grateful heads nodded in agreement. Kurotsuchi even punched the air upwards in unrestrained glee, claiming that they could definitely then reduce a few swings for Tenten. When C asked why they were not deploying more troops to handle the invasion, Yuugao spoke, her voice having returning to the steely tone that she had used on Tenten when she held the end of her blade to her opponent's throat.

"We need a good number to protect the injured personnel here, and the Akimichi clansmen will prove essential here if the Zetsus ever get the chance to reach the compound. Our job of course is to prevent that from happening, and that is why we need large-scale jutsus to take the clones out in large numbers. I believe the seven… eight… of us will be able to deal enough damage. Having too many people out there may also cause more unforeseen circumstances, and since we're running against time, we really cannot afford that. Each and every single one of us needs to know our specific roles, our specific moves. On the battleground, we need to watch each other's backs, yes, but always remember, we have the medical compound to protect. That, is our first and foremost priority. If things… happen, we will just have to let them happen, and improvise."

The mid-morning breeze, perhaps an after-effect of the massive onslaught of the land that had just occurred, caused the girl's fringe and a few other stray strands to tickle her forehead and neck. The recent memory was replaying in her mind; it seemed as if the ANBU's parting words in that conversation had been meant for her, meant to serve as a reminder. Gritting her teeth and clenching her fists, feeling the pressure of the hilt in her right hand, the young kunoichi braced herself for the impending battle, the adrenaline coursing through every vessel in her body. Feeling her comrades' pulsating palms protectively on her back as they did their work, she kept her keen eyes peeled across the vast, desolate area, as if admiring her own catastrophic handiwork but in reality trying her best to push the sense of remorse to the back of her brain. Before long, as she swallowed the last vestige of apprehension, she turned to the other dark-haired female who had been fighting with her ever since the previous day, as soon as the voice of the Hyuuga clan master reached her ears.

"It's time."


	66. Chapter 66

**Part 8: Off the Medical Charts (8)**

Its own shivering body could feel the tremendous ground trembling.

Its new status as an orphaned, sibling-less kit had not registered in its doltish young mind, for it was just simply, naively bucked up for having scampered quickly enough through the narrow entrance down into the underground burrow. Once its mother, constantly aware of their surroundings due to their vulnerability as prey, had started thumping the ground forcefully with her powerful hind leg, it had bolted straight into the empty warren, hopping instinctively in a zig-zag motion even if it did not understand exactly what the incoming threat was. Driven by its innate desire to survive, it had stayed deep in its dark and damp sanctuary as the world above seemed to be embroiled in an unearthly, deafeningly plangent catastrophe. Even as the stumpy surrounding roots, deeply entrenched in an intricate network within their ancient, earthen haven for centuries, were mysteriously and ostentatiously ripped out of their venerable home, the furry little creature obstinately stayed put in its musty confines. Though it understood little of the concept of the world ending, its black, moist nose was sniffing the grimy dank air wolfishly, as its little heart thumped, just like how its late mother's foot had just minutes ago, furiously and resonantly within its full, egg-shaped body. The little kit's long ears pricked suddenly, for the tumultuous commotion above ground seemed to have ceased, the enraged tremors that had been rocking the ground so cruelly dying a slow, natural death as they spread themselves across the land in weakening throes. It continued remaining rooted to the same exact spot, as it inanely believed that whatever was happening up there had ended, and that its home was now free from peril.

That was when it felt the ground moving again.

And this time, the little grey rabbit had nowhere else to run, its month-long existence in this world eradicated bloodily when the earth ruptured open and regurgitated its contents so turbulently that the throngs of beings moving way below the poor creature's supposedly secure hideout were not spared.

"_Doton: Kaido Shoukutsu_!"

The electrifying whirlwind tempest that had levelled such an extensive part of the forest had finally died out, but it was only mere minutes later that two young female warriors, one who had been solely responsible for the calamitous devastation of the land, were taking point again. It took the two friends a few minutes of deep mental preparation as they readied their techniques, supported by two more medic females hovering behind, their glowing palms on their comrades' backs as they worked together to perform this titanic backbreaker of a jutsu. Once given the signal by their long-haired male comrade to act, the girls needed only one second to take a deep breath in, one raising her hands in the air, the other waving her leafy fan in an upward motion, as both summoned their elemental prowess simultaneously. The ground rumbled shakily in its uncertainty, with the four other mindful spectators keeping their distance yet ready to leap into action at any time. Initially, this onerous tactic appeared to be finding its depth as the two kunoichi remained strictly focused on their task even with perspiration trickling down their flushed cheeks, but within a few exponential moments, after a split second of tense, unmoving silence, the earth came alive as it split apart thunderously, launching countless flailing white waxy figures right into the open air with colossal strength and incredible speed, as if it was violently purging unwanted contents from its bottomless stomach.

"Now!"

Once their combined effort brought the Opening Earth Rising Excavation to life with its ravishing, fearsome glory, Tenten left Kurotsuchi in her wake as she burst forward and launched herself into the air as the erupting volcano they had summoned continued spitting White Zetsu clones endlessly into the air, as if the vicinity had come alive with a fireworks display. Knowing that Sakura and Shizune were close behind by their fleeting footsteps, she gave the Bashosen two sturdy swings as she yelled a vengeful war cry to hail her Coming of the Lightning Fire Phoenix technique,

"_Raika Hourai no Jutsu_!"

As if it was insufficient that the ground was being ravaged so savagely, the air was stridently ripped apart with yet another resounding boom, as sizzling bolts of blinding lightning crackled their way down to impale the screeching demonic hordes. While the electrical currents were already lethal enough to extirpate the tormented clones that they hit directly, others were simply stunned for a few moments if they were fortunate enough to avoid the full brunt of their virulent impact. Nevertheless, the malevolent beings would still be erased from existence by the immense flames rolling at them in the shape of yet another irascible, fiery raptor, the majestic spectacle burning its imprint into every awed spectator's memory bank as the elemental fulmination snuffed out the short, pathetic lives of their treacherous adversaries by innumerable dozens.

It was then time for the rest of Tenten's teammates to begin their own attacks in earnest.

"_Konoha-Ryuu Mikazuki no Mai_!"

Yuugao Uzuki waited for a full ardent second before she put her trusty katana to work, speeding ahead even as the noxious flaming creature was still avariciously devouring its brunch in a fitfully wanton manner. Invoking her Leaf-style Dance of the Crescent Moon, the ANBU kunoichi created three shadow clones, each one assailing the utterly spooked Zetsu clones from a blind spot. The wrecked creatures had no time to catch their bearings at all, for Yuugao and her clones rushed at each of them from four fronts simultaneously, at an impossibly fast speed that all they saw before their bodies were slashed into bits were a couple of quick, blurry motions. Even if only Yuugao or one of her clones connected her strike, its force was so severe that her victim was inevitably fatally wounded. Commanding her clones to jump in at each target's upper body in an orbital pattern, the elegance of Yuugao's _ninjutsu_ was projecting such magnificence as it was reminiscent of the shape of a crescent moon.

"_Chakura no Mesu_!"

While Yuugao was already ruthlessly ploughing through the diverging ranks of the fleeing Zetsus with three of her clones, her fellow Konoha shinobi conjured an astounding thirty-six clones using _Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_, and armed each and every one of them with Chakra Scalpels. While the medical ninja was used to forming her chakra into small, sharp blades for highly accurate incisions while performing surgeries and anatomical dissections, the technique was now increased in its size and intensity, with her clones wielding hands that pulsed with deadly bluish blade-like energy. Now used as an offensive tactic, it rendered many Zetsu clones immobile when Shizune's clones engaged in a flurry of short-spanned _taijutsu_ matches and delivered precise cuts to the nape, the bottom of the spine and the back of their knees. Their chakra-clad hands also increased their durability since the Zetsus were getting their own fists slashed when they struggled to deliver their own attacks.

"_Dokugiri_!"

While her shadow clones were blazing through the area, the fearless but visibly rankled Captain of the Logistical Support and Medical Division was drawing a line of defence a few metres away from the two kunoichi who had exerted themselves in mustering such arduous, draining attacks. Kneading her seemingly voluminous chakra reserves within her body and changing them into unorthodox chemical substances that only a highly advanced medical ninja would know, Shizune was expelling a dark purple Poison Mist that was rapidly billowing around the vicinity, trapping many Zetsu clones staggering to escape from the elemental inferno. The lethal poison's ability to kill was tremendous, proving to be outrageously effective as white bodies started dropping limply to the razed ground. Any attempt to escape was fruitless, for Shizune demonstrated pin-point accuracy that rivalled Tenten's with her flying senbons dripping with the same toxic poison.

"_Doton: Dosekiryuu_!"

Sakura kept a close proximity to the Iwa Jounin as the latter activated yet another of her Earth Release jutsus, this time using her energy work through the subterranean earth to roll its way around in its thickly viscous, molten form in order to quench and quell any remaining Zetsu clone that could have escaped the earlier excavation. Keeping her eyelids tightly shut as she focused on her connection with the trundling earth, Kurotsuchi commanded this mudslide technique to swirl its way underneath a precise and sufficiently wide area until the molten earth swallowed and tore apart any remnant clone underground, entrapping its broken body parts when it finally hardened into solid rock.

"_Raigen Raikoucuu_!"

Keeping his lean and muscled body tight and compact, C of Kumogakure, one of the Raikage's most valuable aides, was soon activating his unique jutsu as soon as he sensed that his partner was close at hand. He was itching for action even if he had to admit to feeling a mild sense of trepidation, since he had regrettably adopted such an aloof attitude with his current comrades earlier, and especially when he gaped at the radically staggering numbers of adversaries that had exploded out of the terrain. It was one of the few large-scale battles the young Jounin had ever participated in after all, but witnessing the visually entrancing displays of his fellow comrades' myriad flashy moves was triggering something from deep within. Conjuring his Ram Horse Snake Tiger hand seals in quick succession, C and his Lightning Illusion Flash of Lightning Pillar _genjutsu_ technique were soon blinding the Zetsu clones as their frantic howls continued resounding jarringly in the atmosphere, his body emanating extremely bright rays of light that shot themselves into his victims' terrified eyes. Robbed of their sight, the Zetsu clones proved to be easy prey for Tenten's _Kibaku Kunai_ and Blazing Shuriken Dance, her series of explosive-tagged kunai and inflamed shuriken eliminating scores of paralysed clones.

The battle was apparently going well for the squad; within minutes after the clones were so trenchantly expunged from their underground realms, tons of decapitated bodies were strewn all around, with countless others already banefully erased by the various elemental assaults. Even so, Tenten was still keeping her eyes peeled for stray Zetsus who might have attempted to take desperate cover by making a run for the forested area surrounding this stupendous and currently barren space. Though they had strategically carried out the excavation in the middle of the ruined land and they had tried valiantly to keep the clones from getting near the foliage by continuously assailing them, the observant shinobi had a nagging suspicion that it would pay to heed more caution.

That was when she realised that her Akimichi friend was sorely missing from the scene.

Immediately perplexed and panic-stricken, Tenten propelled herself into the air and scaled the volcanic mound that she and her Iwa friend had created, leaving Sakura and Kurotsuchi to take over her role as the partners of the Kumo sensor, who was still actively entrapping fleeing Zetsus in his _genjutsu_ techniques. Her sharp senses immediately picking up movement patterns on the heavily defiled, thoroughly abraded earth, the intrepid youth tore after the trail that was indeed leading towards the forest. Soaring swiftly through the burnt air, Tenten could make out from the closing distance that quite a number of dazed Zetsu clones were emerging groggily from the ground, indicating that Kurotsuchi's underground _Doton_ jutsu might not have been adequate to extinguish all of them from within the ground. What made her heart give a slight lurch was how Gouza already had his hands full dealing with at least a dozen clones with his _bo_ staff, and was most definitely in the danger of being overpowered by their incoming peers, their exacerbated, riled up yelps reverberating raucously through the air. Yelling for him to activate his _Baika no Jutsu_ even as she flung her twin scrolls open in mid-air and started firing a barrage of projectiles and filling the already heightened atmosphere with even more clangorous discordant sounds, she froze in her own flabbergasted muted terror, her young heart feeling as though it had almost stopped beating, when her friend's strangled cry reached her ears,

"I… I can't, Tenten! I can't use the Multi-Size Technique!"


	67. Chapter 67

**Part 8: Off the Medical Charts (9)**

"_Baika no Jutsu_!"

The bystanders took a few steps back, feeling their throats going dry as they witnessed first-hand the activation of one of the well-known secret techniques passed down in the Akimichi clan. With a slight grunt, the figure felt his own calories being converted into chakra as his already more than substantial body became even more imposing with the exponential increase of his height and girth; his beefy thighs and calves grew steadily chunkier, his massive arms seemed to be teeming with destructive intent, while his dauntingly powerful chest appeared unyieldingly impervious. As he shot upwards, the length of his iron-ended _bo_-staff lengthened as well, the thickness of simple wooden weapon multiplying rapidly like its owner until its heft appeared as fearsome as the humongous, intimidating hands gripping it.

The hulking figure turned his thickset neck and took a side look, gruffly acknowledging the other giant before he threw a pensive glance towards the heavens. His enhanced height allowed him to view across the horizon of dark greenery, the canopy appearing almost placidly serene, the late morning breeze causing the uppermost layer of the forest to swish rhythmically in its benign expansiveness. The Akimichi male's slit eyes flashed open and felt a jolt shoot through his mighty form as in the distance, the atmosphere seemed to have abruptly exploded, with electrically charged tornadoes slashing through the forest. The previously quiescent, dormant horizon was quite capriciously filled with countless birds that scattered across the skies erratically, all taking frenzied flight in order to flee the hazardous paroxysm that had seized their tranquil habitat so callously. Just as the first elemental furore seemed to have ceased, the desecrated area was lit up once again in yet another celestial storm, fire and lightning blustering through the air just as heavily as the foreboding dread that was eating its way to his stout heart.

"Don't worry, Ginza… the little runt will be fine."

Ginza blinked awkwardly at his comrade's vague attempt of consolation; it was extremely rare for his rigid and stern older brother to show sympathy or comfort, for he was deeply entrenched in the belief that in this world, it was everyone for himself. Besides, the younger distant cousin in question had even got into such an impulsive albeit comical skirmish with Kinza that he thought that he would still be fuming at Gouza's atrocity.

"That boy… his skills with the staff… are quite impressive," Kinza continued when he still sensed his sibling's malaise. "Our short… battle just now… well, he showed his stuff well enough. He'll be able to hold his own even if… even… even if he can't…"

Ginza lowered his beady eyes as his brother's words of comfort trailed off into a heavy sigh of lamentable contrite. He knew that both of them were now feeling the same way, that they should have stopped Gouza from following Tenten into the wilderness, that silent look of a wretched plea he threw at the gates earlier beseeching both of them to keep his deeply buried yet constantly haunting shame a secret.

"We still need to be ready for any unforeseen circumstances."

The Iwakagure shinobi who had, in the past hour since his arrival at the medical compound, already suffered a near-fatal stabbing at the hands of several demoniac imposters, marched purposely forward and beyond the two giants who had positioned themselves just outside the gates. Ginza turned around and gave an audible gasp; just behind them were dozens of soldiers, many with bandages wrapped around their torsos, limbs and even around bleeding eyes. Having shucked his flak jacket and top, Mugi faced the foliage ahead in his glorious masculinity, his barrel chest and muscled arms gleaming in perspiration. Even though dark red blood was seeping through the previously pristine bandages, his furrowed brows and fierce scowl still portrayed his resolute intent clearly. He was incapable of making passionate speeches; the brawny Adonis was a man of action and he simply bent his lanky torso forward without even wincing at the sharp stab of pain that was drilling through his gut, placing his outstretched palms on the earth that he was so accustomed to. Ginza felt another pang of delirious bewilderment as wordlessly, many more _Doton_ users followed Mugi's lead and on bended knee, gripped the ground purposefully, ready to do what they could do best even in their weakened states. He gave a sheepish grin of disbelief to his brother as the sensors and medics filed boldly forward to the _Doton_ warriors, feeling an exquisite sense of joy that was overpowering the earlier anxiety that he held for his fellow clansman. _You'll be fine, Gouza, _he thought as he braced himself, even as the sensors were reporting that they could already sense the enemy had somehow broken free from the squad's relentless attacks and were fast approaching the medical compound. _Fight on, little cousin_!

"You're kidding me, right?" the incensed teen blurted out in undisguised outrage, even as she was fending off several adversaries at once with a wooden pole imbued with infernal flames at both ends. "You can't use the Multi-Size Technique? Why the hell are you only telling me now?!"

Tenten swung the sturdy staff across yet another clone's face before thrusting a scorching end right through another's ribs. Having reached her rotund friend just in time, her projectiles easily finishing off multiple opponents that were surrounding him at the newly created clearing of the forest, she had been forced to venture deeper in together Gouza. Though Kurotsuchi's underground technique had managed to vanquish a substantial number of Zetsu clones that had managed to avoid the disastrous eruption, it was apparent now that she must have missed out several troops that were traversing even deeper than expected. She knew that though the squad had already reduced their numbers drastically. there could still be abundant jackals approaching the compound right at this moment.

Though she knew it was not the time to berate the obviously abashed Akimichi, the female Chunin could not prevent the hapless sense of frustration surging up her chest. Even though he was fighting valiantly with his cudgel and smashing many clones' heads into disgustingly squelchy splats with his still formidable strength, if another Akimichi clansman had been present and activated his _Baika no Jutsu,_ he would be stomping the grounds with in his gigantic form and they would definitely have been able to prevent much more Zetsu clones from proceeding to the camp.

"I… I was abandoned as a baby. I'm not a true Akimichi. That's why since I was young, I've always trained the hardest with the _bo_-staff, to make up for what I… for what I lack."

Tenten was almost stunned out of her wits, even as she sent half a dozen flaming javelins spearing through wailing Zetsu clones. Mind whirling as it tried to grapple with this starkly personal piece of information, the dumbstruck kunoichi kept her respectful silence as she continued fighting alongside a peer whom she was now unexpectedly sharing a deeper connection than ever. As if this revelation had aroused something from deep within, Gouza was now fighting more impassionedly than ever, as he single-handedly whacked his way through six clones in quick succession, his fervour burning more intensely than ever. It was only with a coincidental glance that she caught hot tears streaming down his flushed, puffed up cheeks, even as he roared in furious agony while he sent another lifeless clone hurtling away with yet another of his omnipotent hits.

"Perhaps that's why… that's why I've always regarded you as … as a sister."

Though deep down she knew that there was still no excuse for Gouza to hide the truth and risk his own life by actually coming along on this highly perilous mission, Tenten could feel her will melting immediately. Keeping her stride as she fired yet another dozen explosive-tagged kunai, she recalled the numerous times when the gawky young man would treat her to a sumptuous meal at Ramen Ichiraku back at Konoha, after they had spent many a zealous morning training unremittingly with their proficiency with the staff, frequently referring to her as his sister warmly in front of Teuchi and Ayame. She had always jokingly rejected such terms of endearment in her usual breezy and carefree manner, never once suspecting that there could be a more profound meaning to Gouza's affections. All those times when she had returned from missions with Team Guy and he had greeted her with such enthusiasm had been utterly genuine, his concern for her safety clearly shown by his dazzling smiles and playful jibes that she had even hoped that she had sensed a hint of jealousy from Neji. Before she could even manage any form of response, the stupefied girl gaped at the sight that was unfolding in front of them a few yards ahead.

The White Zetsu clones were now thronging into the forest in droves, gleefully fanning out in different directions now that they had succeeded in avoiding Kurotsuchi's underground wrath.

"Tenten… you…you need to go!" Gouza now bellowed as he broke a clone's neck with his bare right hand before tossing its motionless body at another incoming Zetsu. As he charged ferociously at his next victim with his well-used staff, he continued barking his unimaginable request. "You're the only one… with all your ninja tools… with the Bashosen… the only one who can stop these creatures from advancing towards the medical compound!"

Once again so cruelly thrown into a situation between rock and a hard place, the startled kunoichi yelled her immediate resistance to the idea, claiming that she would never leave him alone. Gouza's face was a deep purplish red now, as he felt his own chakra reserves depleting through his exertions, and it was with this alarmingly bloodcurdling façade that greeted Tenten as he spun around so furiously that his staff took down two clones at once, his dilated eyes burning with a mixture of unnerving ire and magnified fear – even though he was commanding her to abandon him with such gall, it was evident that he was utterly terrified of the impending outcome.

"Remember what Yuugao taught you, Tenten! Fight for the greater good! The medical compound needs you more than I do, so scram! Right now! I'm not worth… I'm not worth the sacrifice of all those lives!"

She knew her tear glands must have been squeezed dry within the past twenty-four hours, because despite another piteous cry of refusal, the weapons specialist's shimmering orbs could not produce a single tear of grief. As she continued dodging attacks and bringing the endless drones down with increasingly desperate agitation, Gouza's irate hollers were assaulting her senses without any qualm. Despite her equivocation of the issue, his words were now brimming with such conviction that the torn Chunin could hardly hold on to her own resolve any longer.

"Go! Tenten of Konohakagure! Be the fighter I know and love as a sister, and go! Now!"

Feeling as if the intimidating figure was physically giving her a violent shove, Tenten of Konoha gave an anguished cry as she sent her flaming staff flying straight into two clones' bodies, paid one last heed to her aggrieved peer whose eyes now twinkled appreciatively just like the way they always had back in their village, before leaping forward deeper into the forest, finally feeling warm moisture escaping from its confines and caressing her forlorn cheeks tenderly.


	68. Chapter 68

**Part 8: Off the Medical Charts (10)**

"They… they're coming… I can sense them."

The indomitable Earth Release soldier from Iwakagure gave a silent nod of acknowledgement, his bulging biceps bristling in readiness. His wound had opened again, and he could feel the blood travelling through each woven stitch of his bandage and tainting it with a crimson red. He had brushed off any attempt to help him, insisting that the medics remain alert in boosting and replenishing the chakra reserves of the _Doton_ users so that they could create and maintain a solid wall of defence, manipulating the earth to instantly rise and take form into a fortress-like barrier coated with chakra. If performed successfully, the wall's strength would be incomparable to of a normal mud wall, and with the earth's special characteristics, it would prove highly resistant even to elemental attacks. This way, they would be able to form a credible line of defence against their crafty, demonic opponents.

Mugi took in a sudden intake of breath, recalling how he had pulled a similar stunt the previous evening in order to save an almost dying comrade from the face of an even more vicious monster that had massacred hundreds of lives at the coastal areas. He had been thoroughly taken by the young girl's never-ending heroism, and his heart skipped a beat as his brief reverie reminded him once again how he and his comrades had gallantly vowed to keep her safe from harm, since she had been so willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of mankind, for the sake of the shinobi world, for the sake of her comrades who had gathered and witnessed her plummeting from the heavens after she used that fascinating yet treacherous fan one last time in the twilight of the very first day of war.

Now that his closest friend, one whom he had finally admitted in the past hours how gravely important he was to him, was recovering well within one of the medical tents, he felt his own fingers tingling in regret even as they pulsed reverberantly through the earth; the stark memory of his callused palm connecting with the young teenager's face bringing the bile up his oesophagus. He had never expected to hit a female in this manner, enemies and battles notwithstanding, but the reality was that he had manhandled the flagrantly distressed kunoichi more than once, and the remorse was eating him from within despite the severe need for him to focus solely on the gargantuan task. What was making matters worse was the fact that she had been the one who had just rescued him and his best friend from fatal repercussions, and his mind was once again spiralling back to the previous day when she had burst towards the fearsome resurrected Akatsuki who had wrapped them up in his cold, tentacle clutches with total disregard for her own safety.

"Mugi… it's time."

His broad shoulders adjusting to the intricacy of the formidable jutsu for one last time, the Iwa soldier, having unwittingly volunteered for this leadership position by acting as the compound's stalwart role model to every courageous soldier able to continue fighting, commanded his fellow _Doton_ users to follow his lead as he felt the energy spreading from his palms into the ground. As his dark eyes blazed with inexorable steadfastness, he prayed fervently that he would have the opportunity to offer his apology to the Konoha youth in person… if he managed to survive this.

"_Doton: Cho Doryuuheki_!"

The young girl wavering in Mugi's mind at the moment was sailing past trees and bushes as she flew towards the compound and absolutely tortured by her own feelings of guilt and remorse that were hammering her brain with unrelenting pressure. Her projectiles were taking down whichever stray Zetsu clone her keen eyes could find, never missing a beat despite the raw emotions that were devouring the wielder's core. Gouza's harsh cries kept replaying in her mind, together with the painfully weighty admission of his true status as a false Akimichi causing the regret of leaving him behind even more agonising than ever.

Tenten halted quite suddenly as she landed neatly on a thick bough; a mob of White Zetsu clones had gathered in the middle of nowhere, and every single one of them had turned their gleaming eyes upwards. The utterly harassed girl was more confounded than ever, staring straight into the jackals' iris-less pupils, their lip-less mouths stretched back to form creepy, macabre sneers. It took more than a moment to realise that instead of proceeding onwards to the medical compound, they were moving the other direction, as if they had left something behind.

That was when it hit her. They were taunting her… These bastards were actually taunting her…

They were going back for Gouza.

They held her horrified gaze for one more second before they started moving, some still meeting her eyes with their own, some sticking their tongues out, some shrugging their shoulders in mockery as they slowly, but very surely, took a detour, cackling maniacally in their merriment.

Tenten felt as if she was going to hyperventilate; she turned to look at the villainous clones scampering back, her disconcerted mind screaming in retaliation. Quite abruptly, someone landed right next to her; as the young Chunin recoiled in cold terror as she raised the twin katana in her hands, the sleek purple hair revealed the graceful, lissom figure to be the Yuugao Uzuki.

"The Akimichi's dead. Move on. They're just trying to distract you… to keep you away from the compound. "

A soft, strangled cry escaped her lips, as her pumping heart sank its way down to her gut. Frantically asking the older kunoichi why she had not helped her friend, Tenten felt the sense of revulsion intensify when the woman declared without a single trace of emotion, that Gouza's demise was simply collateral damage, that she knew what was more critical were the lives back at the medical division's compound.

"After all, didn't you abandon him yourself?"

Without a valid comeback, the teen lowered her head in dread and self-consternation as she struggled with the sorrow of losing the life of a fellow comrade… a precious training partner… a supportive friend… a loving brother. She suddenly found herself at a loss for words, as Yuugao drabbled on about how the burly youth had fought to his last breath but the innumerable clones had finally overpowered him.

"That useless Akimichi…despite his gigantic form, despite his increased size… he still could not win them in a …"

Yuugao was unable to finish her sentence; no sooner had she mentioned about the Akimichi's expanded body did the purple-haired figure find a shiny blade thrust through her heart, before the second katana sent her head dropping to the ground. Without bothering to wait for the body to transform back into its White Zetsu form, Tenten was already taking her own frantic detour, the scant minute of deception ironically helping her tremendously, propelling her to adopt a differing course of action, one that she prayed would not prove to be too late.


	69. Chapter 69

**Part 8: Off the Medical Charts (11)**

He finally fell.

It was with as if a climatic finale was about to be reached; just before he crashed deplorably to the ground, the caterwauling clones, caught in their trenchant throes of near victory, had sordidly used their advantage in numbers to snatch his staff from him and flung it out of sight. The cut and bruised young man, panting and wheezing, turned his aching bulk around, only to have his vision marred by another unbelievable sight, to have his horrified heart heave and sink at the same time. If he was still harbouring any remnant thought of making out of this alive, the harrowing sight that now greeted him effectively, permanently, mercilessly robbed him of his last vein of hope.

"The White Zetsu clones… they're merging!"

Arms twitching in effort, chest straining in exertion, head throbbing in concentration, the Iwa Chunin almost choked in an unsuccessful attempt to respond to the sensors' anxious warnings. Now that their adversaries had reached the area and were zealously approaching the compound, the sensor unit could determine their locations and chakra patterns more distinctively, elevating the tight tension that was blanketing the meagre troops. His own ripped and robust torso was screaming in vain protest; it felt as if every single minute fibre was wailing in agony, as if every single joint was aching in sharp disapproval of what he was putting his body through. Several other _Doton_ users had already collapsed despite interventions from the medics, and Mugi knew that it would not be long before their chakra-infused wall of defence would be ineffectual against these creatures that could merge with the ground and use the underground network of organic matter to move into the compound and attack from within the premises. Once their temporary rock of defence crumbled, the White Zetsus would have free reign of the vicinity, and the exhausted soldiers would have to battle overwhelming numbers of opponents. Once their enhanced fort was gone, the battle would certainly be lost.

As certainly as the pool of blood that was seeping through the ground right below his taut, tortured gut.

"Let us fight them, Mugi!" cried Kinza in frustration. "There are enough Akimichi warriors here to face those bastards!"

While his worn down body wanted to selfishly agree with this course of action, the inexperienced leader was still unwilling to take the risk, his mind spinning in confusion as Kinza's words pierced through the heavy numbness that had set in. He had always largely depended on his partner to make the sound decisions while he had languished in the comfort of perpetually playing the role of the hunky brawler. Countless disconcerting and contrasting thoughts raged in his head, with the fear that if the Akimichi giants, being the last line of defence, could not handle the endless numbers that would throng in, the whole division would face dire, unrecoverable consequences. His desideratum was to hold the fortified wall, now being forcefully battered by the merged Zetsu forms, for as long as possible, in the hope that their eight comrades would return in time and quell the clones from outside the wall.

That was, if Kurotsuchi and the rest were still alive.

"_Doton: Banri Doryuuheki_!"

His heavy lids inched open slightly wider, his slowing heart pumped just a tad faster, as his ears pricked weakly at the familiar command; what made it sound like such a melodious refrain was the voice doing the commanding, its soothing timbre riding the charged airwaves all the way to calm Mugi's frazzled nerves and unhinge the dam that had been putting up with his welled-up tension. The warm tears that were swimming through the sheen of perspiration on his tanned, rugged face held a mixture of joy and relief; his bent fingers finally loosened their grip on the earth and his burdened knees finally buckled as he fell backwards and hit the ground with a gentle thud.

Even in his dazed stupor, Mugi knew that behind the first group of _Doton_ practitioners, several others had lined up behind them, simultaneously performing hand seals and then expelling a stream of mud from their mouths. These streams were reinforcing the rock wall by solidifying into multiple columns of chakra-infused earth that would grow upwards from the ground and together, form a secondary hard and defensive structure. Even in his increasing debility, he had a benevolent smile on his face as he recalled how he used to refuse to learn this technique due to his aversion of shooting mud out of his mouth, much to the chagrin of his partner. Even in his depleting consciousness, he felt his heart skip a precious beat, as he marvelled at the sight of several gigantic forms flying over him and over the wall, either rocketing forward in their spinning forms or brandishing fearsome-looking staffs. Even as his eyes closed, his heart was singing as he felt his broken body being tended to by someone he feared he had lost, his torn gut ravenously struggling to respond to the trembling palms awash with a mystical pulsating aura. Even as he drifted off to oblivion, his nerve-endings tingled as his partner's passionate outcry registered in his mind, the latter's painfully harsh plea for him to live, to come back to him, causing his weakening heart to ache.

"Don't you dare die on me, you silly little man! Come back to me, dammit!"

Yabuza was in frantic hysteria, having found his partner's tenuously decrepit form so vulnerably exposed mere metres away from the wall of defence. He had taken charge in his desperation without much thought; having roused and rallied a few other _Doton_ users from the medical tents, together with some other shinobi who had, like him, just regained groggy consciousness, he had hastily studied the situation once they had reached the gates where dozens of victimised others stood ready. His connection with the earth, once awakened, warned him that a humungous wall structure had been formed, and his analytical mind, even in his weakened state, raced in response as he too could feel the tremendous pressure the rock wall was under. His frenzied mind taking in loads of information at once, as he had his squad activate the collaborative Earth-Style Wall of Ten Thousand _Ri_ technique to provide some temporary support to the vast, looming structure, he was also signalling the more than ready Akimichi shinobi to vault over the wall to take point.

"My medical _ninjutsu_… I can't… I can't heal… it's not enough," Yabuza was cursing under his breath as tears and perspiration trickled down his clenched jaw, his harried senses admonishing him for not achieved a higher standard of healing prowess despite his proficiency in it. "I'm not strong enough… Oh god… Mugi…I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… please live… please don't die on me…"

The breath caught in his throat as other unfamiliar hands, other unrecognisable faces gathered around the Iwa duo. Mugi's frighteningly broad and rigid torso suddenly found a dozen glowing hands performing the _Shosen Jutsu_, basking in the delicate warmth that accompanied the technique. Yabuza bit his lower lip in silent appreciation of the gentle healing hands, his ears focused on the low hum over Mugi's body and keeping the belligerent war cries from Kinza and his fellow stomping clansmen beyond the wall out of his mind. "He'll live," muttered the red-haired Kiri female beside him as she continued pumping chakra into her badly scorched hands. "When Captain Shizune and Sakura return, they'll be able to patch him up better… but don't worry about your… your friend now. He'll survive this… he's done all he can for us, and he won't die in vain. We won't let him."

Before he could even whisper a thankful word of indebtedness, his heart gave yet another lurch when he felt someone's hand over his own left hand. It was this hand that the Iwa Chunin clutched tightly on to, embracing its pulsing veins gratefully as he held it to his cheek, when the heart-warming scene was crudely and abruptly robbed of its collegial tenderness, when the atmosphere was once again thrown into chaos.

It was Mugi's hand that Yabuza held on to, when the solidly erected walls finally gave way and fell on them.


	70. Chapter 70

**Part 8: Off the Medical Charts (12)**

"Where do you think you're heading off to? You should be running back to the medical compound! Our comrades need you…they need your skills! The Zetsus could be attacking them right now!"

Having filtered through the forested terrain in her avid haste to reach the friend that she had forced to abandon, the Konoha Chunin found herself being halted dead in her tracks, her jangled nerves buzzing in her head to advance without delay, for every second could determine the outcome of the Akimichi's ill-fated misfortune. The dark, stealthy figure obstructing her path, having landed just a few metres ahead in astonishing silence, was what stood between Tenten and Gouza, and the kunoichi felt more exasperated than ever as she once again had to face the irksome face of her fellow Konoha shinobi, whom she had tussled with less than an hour ago and whose impersonator she had disposed in the minutes preceding this tiresome standoff.

"Stand aside, Yuugao!" she exclaimed irritably, her observation of the intruder's stance with her katana telling her that this was definitely the real deal. "I don't have time for this nonsense! I need to get back to Gouza!"

The deadpan look on the long-haired beauty's face portrayed no sign of emotion despite the deadly disparaging and cutting tone she had just used, the ANBU female's impassivity instantaneously becoming an additional source of the annoyance that was rising within the younger kunoichi, and before long, Tenten was raising her voice in the middle of the wilderness even when her right hand sent two flying kunai that neatly took out the White Zetsu clone that had just emerged in front of a tree ten metres away.

"Let me pass, Yuugao! I don't know what your problem is with me… I don't care whether I've told you before that I wanted to be an ANBU… right here, right now, I just want to save my friend! I just want to correct a wrong, and you should not… you cannot stop me! Don't be such a bloody hypocrite here! Didn't you get so affected by Hayate-_senpai_'s death that you gave up being an ANBU? That you gave up fighting? Just because you've now got past that doesn't give you the right… it doesn't give you any right at all… to stop me from rescuing a comrade who's been like a brother to me!"

Her spitfire verbal assault seemed to have totally silenced the still unreadable individual, but within a few seconds, Yuugao Uzuki vanished in a puff of smoke, the blank look in her vacant eyes showing just a tinge of regret before she disappeared. _A Kage Bunshin clone_, Tenten thought as she sprinted forward, launching from a pivot point with her right foot that saw her gaining momentum speedily. Refusing to let any others bar her from her destination any further, the fiercely determined youth released two blazing katana blades from her right scroll, ready to tackle the horde of demons that must be having their way with her fellow Konoha peer. Pulse racing, adrenaline coursing, the young Team Guy warrior had to skid to a halt, her heart fluttering as the impossible sight greeted her disbelieving eyes. What took hold of her senses, what startled her and threw her almost completely off sync were not the dozen or so enlarged figures of several deformed White Zetsu clones that had somehow merged with their Venus Flytrap-like middles opened up. Rather, it was who was fending them off that was riling up a whole new set of emotions within her.

Fighting right alongside a seemingly recharged Gouza was, unexpectedly, the ever unfaltering form of Yuugao Uzuki and several of her _Kage Bunshin_ clones slashing their way through with their own gleaming katana blades.

"If you have time to gawk, you have time to fight!" came the female's brusque reproach. "I thought you returned to fight and help your friend!"

Cheeks colouring, mouth gaping, the stunned teenager managed an awkward croak in agreement before charging at the towering monster nearest to Gouza. His morale superbly boosted by the appearance of firstly the ANBU warrior, the young Akimichi was now battling their adversaries more fearlessly than ever, sending his attackers hurtling through the stale air in all directions. At this particular moment, he was hurling his hefty form right at the creature Tenten was about to attack, using his iron-clad _bo_-staff to deliver such a potent slash across its mid-section that the top half of its ghoulishly gangly form slid off macabrely.

"Tenten!" Gouza's transformed personality caught the kunoichi off-guard, his previously weedy voice replaced by one filled with caustic assertion and austere gravity. "You need to take them out quickly so that we can get back to the medical compound! You shouldn't even have come back, but since you are here, let's just finish them off now!"

Her mind still reeling slightly from this unforeseen yet very welcomed turn of events, her eyes met the solemn gaze of one of the several Yuugao forms around, and somehow, she knew that she was looking at the ANBU's original form. As if their minds were telepathically linked, even as a cackling Zetsu monster dispelled one of her _Kage Bunshin_ clones, the two females rushed at the nefarious form together, with a gracefully sliding Yuugao removing its lower limbs in a clean slice that cut through the air so sharply that a whistling sound could be heard, while the leaping Tenten took care of its menacing upper body in two swift slashes. Recalling her senior's earlier reminder about how with her twin swords she could have ultimate control of 'The Gate', she faced her next looming adversary alone with her blades raised, knowing that she had to maintain the opening between them at any given time. Yuugao's ethereal voice, from all those years ago, was replaying words that she had buried in the deep recesses of her mind, telling her that in order to be able to reach her target from any angle, every single one of her attacks had to go through this gate. As the hideous reject homed in on her, she disrupted the opening at the exact right moment to deflect its incoming attack. Appreciating the ANBU's words of wisdom now, she made use of her double swords' ability to alternate and complement their trajectories, providing a strong continuous flowing barricade as she danced around the monster, repeatedly trapping and striking its body. Timing was essential in the use of this technique and within twenty seconds, the deformity had been thoroughly taken apart at angles so specific that it was as if Tenten had analysed the exact sections where the clones had joined together.

"_Konoha-Ryuu Yanagi_!"

With a curt nod and slight upward curl of her red lips acknowledging the younger female cleaving the creature apart so neatly, Yuugao and her clones were keenly pulling out their own tactics, currently confusing two mutants by waving their swords back and forth so quickly that the aghast White Zetsu clones acted as if they were being entrapped in a _genjutsu_ that was causing them to hallucinate multiple waving arms. With the movement resembling that of a willow tree blowing in the wind, it was causing the deranged clones to wave their own arms frenetically; a vain exertion it was, for their misled, convoluted minds made it that much easier and faster for the ANBU's clones to cut them down. Immediately after, they jumped at yet another terror-stricken creature, appearing right in front of the flummoxed being and gifted it with countless slashes that were being manoeuvred so quickly that they were almost invisible to the naked eye; when Yuugao and her clones reappeared behind it again after finishing their Instantaneous Blade _Setsuna_ move, each and every one of the merged clones had collapsed miserably to the ground.

"Tenten, you need the remaining few at once! The rest have returned to the medical compound and need our assistance as soon as possible!"

Hearing that the rest of the eight-man squad were safe brought a twinkle to her eyes, a look that also betrayed how her mind was working out a more overbearing and formidable technique in her head. The five left in the wake of their devastated comrades seemed to have all gathered closer together, their awkward forms attempting to appear as minatory as possible with all merged faces snarling intimidatingly at the lone girl who was taking point. The confidence was unmistakable in both glint and gait as she thrust her lean torso forward, abruptly springing into the air just two metres away from the first enemy, catapulting herself through the air currents a few metres above ground before taking a nose dive straight down in the middle of the group, piercing the ground with her twin lightning-imbued katana.

"_Raisou: Ikazuchi no Utage_!"

With this novel and mystifying Banquet of Lightning move, the _Raiton_ blades stabbed the earth cogently, producing gluttonous bolts of electrifying energy that spread themselves out, licking their way through the ground and devouring their way up the screeching White Zetsu clones. Having realised that Tenten's tactic could prove perilous for them, the individual clones were trying to disengage themselves from one another, but to no avail. Once the electrifying blue energy crackled all over the demons, the nearest three were torn apart, bearing the full brunt of the assault and vanquished almost immediately. As their comrades' screams of pain and anguish died out thinly with the passing breeze, the remaining two mutants, stupefied and frozen in their spots, faced the wrath of the trio, the first slashed to oblivion by Yuugao's acuminous, razor-sharp strikes while the second faced the duo who were displaying their expertise with their _bo_-staffs as if their staffs were extensions of their own limbs, their swinging, thrusting and striking techniques such an astoundingly entrancing sight that even the ANBU warrior paused to admire the two friends' thoroughly synced _bojutsu_ movements. Together, they performed the five-point assault that Tenten had used earlier to prove her identity to Gouza, vaulting over the ravaged monster together and landing two jolting blows on its back before sweeping the dying creature's feet off the ground, swinging their staves in opposing directions as they both landed neatly on one bended knee.

"Gosh, that was way too awesome!" exhaled the exhilarated Gouza, his flushed cheeks beaming as if he had totally forgotten that barely ten minutes ago, his life had been in great jeopardy. "Let's do it again, Tenten!"


	71. Chapter 71

**Part 8: A Friend in Need (6)**

"It seems that Kabuto… Kabuto's resurrected the Sound Four ninja as well."

The head of the Nara clan wore a brief, startled expression for a second before his shiny forehead creased into its usual folds again as he brought his chiselled chin down to his clenched knuckles. The green-eyed young woman standing a few metres away eyed him expectantly, her light grey bangs moving gently as she turned to face the blonde, long-haired man who had just spoken. Of course, Mabui could not see Yamanaka Inoichi's own blue-green irises, since the top part of his face was still covered by the contraption he was attached to; the Konoha Jounin had been connected to the Allied Shinobi Forces Headquarters' Chakra Transmission Communication Device for almost twenty-four hours now, taking very short respites in between and fuelling his body with soldier pills.

"They… they've engaged our children in battle, Shikaku, and… and… I can't sense Shikamaru… Chouji… Neji… Kiba!"

His churlish, snappy retort was of course not directed at his long-time friend; the Jounin Commander of Konohagakure barking his orders for Inoichi to stay in close contact with the situation and provide as much aid as possible caused the dark-skinned Kumo kunoichi to be slightly taken aback. Ever since she had met the two Konoha men, Mabui could tell that they had established an extraordinary bond, and it was this same bond passed down to the next generation that had allowed the Ino-Shika-Cho trio to turn the turn around the previous day on the western coasts of the Land of Lightning, where Darui's division had encountered the legendary Gold and Silver Horned Devils that had haunted Kumogakure's history.

Witnessing how even the steadfastly calm and resolute Shikaku could lose his composure once the safety of his own flesh and blood was compromised, she lowered her gaze respectfully, her own thoughts travelling to where her affections lay. After learning the previous how the White Zetsu army had infiltrated the Alliance's ranks disguised as shinobi, and, under the cover of night was murdering Alliance soldiers and sending the forces into chaos, she had surmised accurately that the whole reason for the battle during the day was in preparation for such an assault. Even after Division One had managed to fend off harrowing devastations from the likes of the resurrected forms of Kinkaku, Ginkaku, the Akatsuki Kakuzu and his elemental masked monsters, and the Gedo Mazo Demonic Statue of the Outer Path that had almost desecrated the beaches, the dwindling troops were still combating valiantly against these vicious impersonators.

That meant, just like Shikaku and Inoichi's children, Darui was still in danger as well.

Their relationship was still at its infancy, with the impossibly languid and laid back Jounin seemingly oblivious to Mabui's attraction to him until just after the Kage Summit held within this very compound and he had been informed that he would be leading the first division, when, out of the blue, Darui had made a passing remark, utterly without inflection, that if he made out of the war alive, perhaps they should go out on a date.

That was when the feisty female had grabbed his lean and muscly body and drawn him into such a long, passionate kiss that even C, one of Kumogakure's most popular lady-killers, had to make an awkward exit from the scene, but not being graciously mumbling a heartfelt, "It's about time, guys. Go for it."

The tense minutes that followed saw Mabui aiding Shikaku and Inoichi in gathering and analysing data about the _Jikuujutsu Shiki: Yomi Tenshin _technique utilised by the Sound Four quartet that had trapped four of Konoha's outstanding youths within its range. With the wide repertoire of historical books at her disposal, the Raikage's able secretary was proving her worth as she related in her usual professional and non-judgmental tone how this rare and unorthodox jutsu worked, marvelling at how quickly Inoichi deduced how it could be dispelled like _genjutsu_, by pouring chakra into the technique.

"I… I can't reach them!" Inoichi's anxiety was evident in his trembling baritone. "The seal… it prevents me from locating and communicating with Shikamaru and the others."

Mabui placed a reassuring hand on the Nara man's right shoulder, the tension in his rigid torso oozing out of every pore of his being. She stifled a soft gasp as she noticed the moisture that had gathered around his eyes; even as he tried to blink his tears back, Shikaku's scarred face returned to its usual grim and resolute countenance, as he intrepidly stated that he knew his son well, and that he and his friends would all make it out safe and sound.

Touched by the display of fatherly love, the Kumo kunoichi was about to return to Kumo's well-stocked library to try and get more information about the enemy's fearsome Space-Time Underworld Turnover technique, when from the other end of the massive chakra transmission device, the stern and masculine voice of the Kirikagure sensor rang across the vast space.

"Shikaku! The medical compound… Shizune's division… it seems as if … as if… there're tons of White Zetsu clones moving underground towards it! C has just reported in!"

Mabui held back at the mention of her fellow Kumo shinobi, stunned that yet another cloak of darkness seemed to be enshrouding the Logistical Support and Medical Division. His aggrieved heart temporarily placated by Inoichi telling him that Uzumaki Naruto was now handling the Sound Four matter, Shikaku diverted his attention to Ao's disturbing news. The middle-aged man, his weirdly moussed-up blue hair never failing to amuse the Kumo kunoichi who wore her own tresses in a stylish bun, exclaimed that some shinobi were handling the matter, but the compound would definitely be overrun in mere moments if the hordes ever reached their destination.

"Wait… someone… someone's attacking a cove filled with … filled with shinobi," Ao's lids flinched open, his one-eyed gaze meeting Mabui's. "Someone… someone's activated the Bashosen… the fan used by Kinkaku yesterday!"

That was when Mabui felt her heart pounding in her ears, the mere mention of a legendary ninja tool revered as one of the most powerful ninja tools known to the shinobi world, one that once belonged to the Sage of the Six Path, was more than sufficient to jolt her senses once more. Once in Kumogakure's treasure trove until the malevolent Gold and Silver Brothers pilfered all five mystical treasures for their own use, the Third Raikage had fortunately managed to retrieve the _Kohaku no Jouhei_; if the Amber Purifying Pot had not been in Kumo's possession, Mabui would not have been able to use her blinding _Tensou no Jutsu_ to transport it to Darui at the speed of light and he would not have been able to work with the Ino-Shika-Cho trio to take down Kinkaku's Tailed Beast form. The consequences would have been unimaginable, and once again she had to shelve these negative thoughts to the back of her mind, thoughts that were persistently making her worry about her beloved General of the First Division.

"The shinobi in the cove! They're White Zetsu clones in disguise!" came Inoichi's voice before he expelled an extraordinarily loud gasp that portrayed the great astonishment that he must be feeling. "Shikaku… the one wielding the Bashosen… the one who's summoned a fire dragon and phoenix that's taking the clones out… it's Tenten! Our very own Tenten from Konoha!"

Maintaining her composure even though she could feel the discomfort rising to her ample chest, Mabui could feel her spine tingling as she exchanged wide-eyed looks with the equally baffled Shikaku, who was soon giving both Ao and Inoichi their specific tasks.

"Ao! Contact the sensors in Division One! Get Darui and find out why the Bashosen's in Tenten's possession! Inoichi, connect me to Shizune right now!"

A terse silence followed as the lone kunoichi kept vigil by Ao's side; randomly bizarre thoughts were running through her mind, as she wondered who this particular 'Tenten from Konoha' was. Both Shikaku and Inoichi seemed to know this female, judging by their awestruck responses, and it did seem quite unlikely that a normal shinobi would be able to wield the lethal chakra-draining tool without fatal repercussions. Thus, she was mortified when Darui's words got repeated via Ao's gruff voice, announcing that he had been the one to allow the Konoha kunoichi to use it.

"Darui says… the girl is proficient with the weapon… that she used it yesterday to eliminate Kakuzu's elemental masked demons and save thousands of lives. She almost perished from chakra exhaustion, but somehow, she's managed to incorporate the elemental properties of the fan into her _fuinjutsu_ techniques and is now capable of summoning the ninja tools stored… stored in her scrolls… and imbuing them with the five… with the five elements?"

The stark sense of incredulity that surged within her finally sparked her vocal chords, and she found herself crying out in disbelief.

"That's impossible! This… this Tenten… she has to stop using the Bashosen, Shikaku-_sama_! It will kill her… it drains too much chakra… a normal human shouldn't even be able to activate its prowess! And we don't even know the side effects of her using it in… in whatever manner she's using at the moment!"

Mabui was expecting the Nara strategist to conform with her opinion whole-heartedly, but the dour expression in his dark eyes caused her to stumble in her hurriedly approaching footsteps. He had turned away from the Yamanaka Jounin, having supposedly conversed with the captain of the medical division. Her heart gave a lurch as he spoke, his voice steadily adopting a tone so severe that Mabui thought he was losing his mind.

"Shizune… she's saying the same thing as Darui. We… we need Tenten to use the Bashosen because… because that may be the only way … the only way we can get rid of the large numbers of Zetsu clones that are going to infiltrate the medical compound. We will be able to reduce our casualties there greatly if Tenten… if she pulls through."

For the first time since she had met the head of the famed Nara clan, the Kumo woman felt a sick sense of revulsion, his depraved words filling her mind with a nauseating dread. The stricken kunoichi had to inhale deeply to catch her breath; as Shikaku walked past her, she could only muster a soft "This is totally absurd. She could die… she could perish this time, even if she survived the Bashosen yesterday."

"No, Miss Mabui, this is war. Tenten understands that, and so should you."

Her shoulder flinched as he loosened his grip and strode back to Ao, as the sinking feeling continued eating through her core; she knew that in the next few minutes, she would be poring over the library's collection zealously in search of more information about the legendary fan. Even then, she had to try again by asking who this kunoichi was, in the fleeting hope that Shikaku would change his mind if he got reminded of her identity again. The dark-haired man paused, turning a side-glance that revealed the two scars on his right profile as he addressed the insistent woman again.

"Tenten is a fighter from Konoha, Miss Mabui. Just like the rest of us… just like the rest of her peers from Konohagakure… Tenten is a fighter."


	72. Chapter 72

**Part 8: Off the Medical Charts (13)**

"_Hakkeshou Kaiten_!"

Hiashi Hyuuga had leapt right in front of the huddled group, utilising the acute chakra control he had gained through his _Jyuuken_ training over the years to release his immense chakra reserves from every _tenketsu_ in his body. Currently using his Eight Trigrams Revolving Heaven as a defensive manoeuvre, Hiashi was spinning so quickly and extending his chakra outwards to such a great radius that the eight harrowed shinobi were all safely enclosed in the swirling cocoon of bluish energy. Yabuza gaped in awed disbelief as the group's saviour maintained the rotating sphere for more than two minutes; outside the fortified wall was collapsing jarringly all over them, but the spinning blur was handling his technique so delicately well that not a single bit of debris hit any one of the group, his stupendous technique hurling every piece of rock away, no matter the size.

"Get out of here! Yabuza, get back to the tents… get Mugi to safety!"

Almost as quickly as he had appeared, the Konoha shinobi had left them surrounded by fallen boulders, leaping over them after his white eyes widened slightly in recognition of the two Iwa Chunin, even though Yabuza failed to return the acknowledgement at first. Knowing immediately that he had to be Kurotsuchi and Tenten's fellow comrade, he gave a grateful nod and carrying Mugi in his arms, made his way back into the compound together with the other medics.

"Hold the fort! Don't let the bastards get past us!"

Akimichi Ginza's heart was hammering against his chest even as he gave that mighty bellow; though the return of the squad members were turning the tide around nicely, seeing only five of them returning and engaging the Zetsu army immediately seemed to be cold comfort; despite his best efforts while sending his humungous staff crushing and flattening yet another enlarged deformity, his beady eyes could not detect his estranged cousin no matter how hard they scoured the area. Another few dozen shinobi from the compound had joined in the clash after Mugi's chakra-infused rock wall fell, but the Akimichi clansmen were the ones dealing the most damage in their gigantic forms. He watched curiously as his brother, no longer a giant but still intimidatingly large, smash two monsters together with his _Bubun Baika no Jutsu_, the partial technique allowing him to augment only his hands, increasing the power of his physical attacks. Realising that Kinza could be running low on chakra reserves and was no longer able to maintain their clan's enlargement technique fully, he was about to pounce forward but his path was blocked by dozens of monsters. Before he could yell a warning, his eyes sparkled as a pink-haired individual rocketed towards Kinza's current assailant from behind, her caustic "_Shannaro_!" exclamation resounding loudly as she sent the demon flailing helplessly in the air with a single punch.

"_Doton: Doryuuha_!"

The ever plucky Iwa Jounin was entering the scene in style, having summoned a wave of earth that allowed her to ride on, the speed in which it approached her opponents totally throwing them off as Kurotsuchi skilfully manipulated the terrain around them. Those who managed to avoid her Earth Flow Wave had to suffer her _Doryuu Taiga_ Earth Flow River jutsu instead; the Zetsu mutants were thrown off balance as well when the ground beneath them was transformed into mud. Her wide array of techniques seemed to be unstoppable, as she continued riding the structure and skewering her towering opponents across the arena with a mixture of _Doryuusou_ and _Dosekidake_ Earth Release techniques, the mud and stone from the ground condensed and shaped into spikes that exploded from beneath the Zetsu monsters.

"There… there are still too many of them," an exhausted C groaned as he plopped himself beside Hiashi, having just pulled off his _Raigen Raikouchuu _jutsu again, sending shards of blinding light shooting into the yelping Zetsus' eyes before other soldiers attacked them. "They haven't entered the compound, but… but the area is still flooded with these freaks!"

The two men were positioned just a few metres in front of the gates, yards behind the Akimichi warriors who were still painstakingly holding their line of defence. Studying their chakra patterns with his _Byakugan_ foretold that these giants would be forced to resume their normal size very soon, although what was gratifying was that the Zetsu clones were no longer travelling underground, clearly afraid of the devastating elemental techniques that had vastly reduced their numbers by more than seventy per cent.

"Do not fret, young Kumo cur," the Hyuuga's thin lips were now forming a smirk as his eyes detected the movement he had been awaiting patiently. "Conserve your chakra for now, for our friends will need your _genjutsu_ techniques very soon."

With those vague words, Hiashi shot ahead and left the flushed, panting Kumo Jounin to his own devices, weaving his way expertly past the Akimichi line and the purple plumes that were evidence of Shizune's _Kage Bunshin_ clones paralysing the distraught clones with deadly poison. Propelling himself mid-air, his _Byakugan_ pinpointed precisely each and every single vital point even within the mass of deformed, merged Zetsu mutants, before he invoked the Hyuuga clan's pernicious _Hakke Kushou_ technique, releasing several high-speed palm thrusts that were actually vacuum shells compressed using _Jyuuken_. With each hapless clone's vitals assailed even from such a credible distance, the merged forms were all blown apart, scattered with such tremendous force that the remnants of their torn bodies splattering all around in an overtly grisly manner.

"They're here," the solemn man muttered as he simply raised his left palm and tore the two attacking clones without even turning to face them. "Good… when they attack the clones from behind, we'll be able to turn the tide around. Tenten… you'll have to use the Bashosen again…"

The kunoichi in question inhaled deeply, her eyes glistening at the sight of the entire terrain teeming with battling figures. Gouza, Yuugao and her _Kage Bunshin_ clones had sped ahead, partly to lend a helping hand, partly to get the Allied Shinobi Forces to pull back so that she could perform her move.

"_Rairyuu no Tatsumaki_!"

With a single wave that looked deceivingly gentle, the fan was summoning an elemental beast in the form of a dragon yet again; the whistling, whirling vortex of wind swooped down seconds after being mustered, scooping up the wretched beings in its path, even uprooting many trees in the process. If the cutting wind was not already ripping their torsos apart, the lightning crackling within the whipping elemental storm was electrocuting them into bits. The entire battle-dome plunged into a catastrophic frenzy, the tremendous flurries of wind and lightning forcing many of the shinobi's adversaries to detach themselves from their merged forms, and attempt to flee this hellish terrain, abandoning their grand plans totally.

"_Sougu: Godai Seishitsu Shuu Senjin_! _Gen'ei Tajuu Shuriken_!"

Her twin scrolls spiralling gracefully around her, Tenten was firing countless kunai and shuriken imbued with all five elements, the blazing elementally charged blades piercing through foreheads, torsos and limbs of her flapping targets now completely caught in this ninja tool bombardment. The Multiple Phantom Shuriken combination move especially, was creating the most panic; corporeal replicas of the already substantial of shuriken that flew out of Tenten's scrolls were created while they were rotating madly in mid-air, increasing the vast number of spinning blades that thrust their way viciously deep into their targets. As the Lightning Dragon Tornado dissipated, having disposed of innumerable monsters, her comrades flooded the razed grounds once again, their heightened morale reverberating sonorously as they charged forward. It seemed that an impending victory might become a reality after all, since the Konoha weapons specialist had indeed reduced their enemies' numbers quite substantially.

A victory, that could very well be at the young kunoichi's expense, for no sooner had she landed on her feet again did her buckling knees give way, causing her to swoon and fall to the ground. Her mind swimming in a sudden state of mental disorientation, the dazed youth was shaking her head in a hurried attempt to get rid of the reeling stupor that was currently taking hold of her senses. This was also when several Zetsu clones, perhaps as groggy as she was feeling right now, closed in on her, scampering giddily towards her in their single thought of vengeance, eager to gain at least this one win, to get rid of this execrable, vexatious wielder of ninja tools.

That was, however, also the time when a familiar whistle caused Tenten's sharp ears to pick up the distinct sound of a sharpened blade cutting through the air. A flash bomb whizzed in, attached to a kunai that now stabbed the ground that separated Tenten and the Zetsu clones; a small sphere wrapped in paper and labelled with the character '_hikari_' made its appearance right in front of the flustered girl, who had the good mind to immediately shut her lids and shield her eyes from the blinding light that assaulted the clones' sense of sight.

"_Gatenga!_"

Yet another clan from Konoha was making its presence felt; Tenten remained as bewildered as she was light-headed, as the Inuzuka member ploughed the clones together with a _ninken_ canine partner, rolling at such a devastatingly ferocious speed that both figures could not be distinguished in their buzz-saw like shapes; the Fang Rotating Fang tactic saw the savage beast-like attacks tear through the Zetsus as if they were nothing but pesky flies, laying waste to the kunoichi's wretched assailants within seconds.

"Tenten!" barked the ever tough and tenacious Tsume Inuzuka as she powered down together with her loyal Kuromaru, her spiky and untamed brown hair swinging wildly in the buffeting after-effects. "Shikaku sent some of us from the Fifth Division to provide support for the medical compound! Let us help take these impertinent pests out! Fan out, boys and girls!"

With that fierce command from one of Konoha's renowned _tokubetsu_ Jounin, the reinforcement troops scattered quickly, sprawling across the forested area in search of their doomed prey.


	73. Chapter 73

**Part 8: Off the Medical Charts (14)**

"_Genjutsu Shibari_! _Magen: Kokoni Arazu no Jutsu_!"

Together with other sensors, after the howling abominations were trying in vain to shield their eyes from his Lightning Illusion jutsu, C of Kumogakure generated a few more secondary jutsus, entrapping them in varying _genjutsu_ techniques; the Genjutsu Binding move took a firm grasp of the clones' senses and rendered them motionless on the spot, while the Demonic Illusion: False Surroundings Technique saw many clones grabbing their heads in utter terror, their anguished cries of distress a clear sign of the hellish surroundings the sensors must have callously plunged their minds into.

With reinforcement troops from General Mifune's Fifth Division – the Special Battle Division that had dispersed itself along the whole length of the Land of Lightning's peninsula so that the nearest partition could provide assistance when any division was in need – the medical compound was guaranteed of its safety. The numbers of the White Zetsus had dwindled abundantly once the energetic newcomers entered the scene, with the wildly aggressive Tsume Inuzuka leading the highly spirited, dynamic soldiers around the battle arena, filling the charged atmosphere with vivacious war cries mixed with the equally resounding agonised, tormented shrieks.

With much less adversaries out in the open, C's team was then able to pull off their _genjutsu_ tactics flawlessly, seizing the minds and senses of the remaining dozens so abruptly that they had no way of escaping the Allied Forces' wrathful techniques. All over the area, Tsume and a few of her equally feral fellow Inuzuka warriors were splitting the clones' torsos apart together with their _ninken_ companions, the beastly combinations seeing impossibly speedy spinning figures drilling through enemy ranks and tearing through the Zetsus with their sharp claws and teeth. Incensed hollers of "_Gatenga_!" and "_Gatsuga_!" boomed across the battlefield, the fearsome trademark Fang Rotating Fang and Fang Passing Fang clan techniques wondrously terrifying spectacles to behold, the murderous intent dangerously evident in the enhanced strength, speed and agility that accompanied them.

"_Nikudan Sensha_!"

Not to be outdone, the Akimichi fighters were rolling around in earnest as well, crushing the Zetsus into flattened shreds in their wake. Converting their large frames into mass weapons of destruction, after activating their _Baika no Jutsu_ and moulding themselves in human-sized balls of power, these Human Bullet Tanks tucked in their limbs and used chakra to propel themselves forward into powerful rolls. The effective use of weight and force of rotation proved disastrous for the enemy, the large numbers of pulverised bodies around the scourged land stating its lethality very clearly.

Akimichi Ginza rolled himself out of the thunderous ball-like shape, his eyes trying to adjust as fast as they could after pulling out of the threatening _taijutsu_ move of his clan, expelling a heavy sigh of relief as he spotted his cousin in the middle of the battleground. Despite his inability to learn any of the clan's secret techniques, Gouza was fighting like a true Akimichi, brandishing his _bo_-staff stalwartly and slicing it through the paralysed or stupefied clones with a series of lunging thrusts and sturdy swings. Ginza smiled as the young warrior shouted constantly through his exertions, yelling at the immobilised Zetsus to "Take that!" and "Eat this, you freak!" as if he was running a heroic tale in his head while he smashed his way around. When they finally had eye contact, the giant could not help but beam wordlessly in unmistakable pride, a gesture that the smaller Akimichi returned with his own nod of acknowledgement as he looked up at his cousin, a pool of tears glistening gratefully in his eyes.

"Hell yeah, it sure looks like a damn Konoha party out here, doesn't it?"

Tenten sniggered at Kurotsuchi's cheery remark, one that seemed to have found its way to sting Hiashi's senses yet again, judging by the way he bristled slightly. For the first time in hours, the young kunoichi actually felt as if she could finally relax, allowing her tense shoulders to slacken as she basked in the afterglow of such a long drawn out fight. Witnessing the massive battle's dying throes from outside the medical compound's gates together with a few of her comrades, even if she wanted to, she found that she could not rest her mind fully; though she kept telling herself that she had stumbled after invoking the Lightning Dragon Tornado and the subsequent weapon onslaught that followed due to physical exhaustion, perturbing thoughts were making her hesitant in relating the incident to her peers. Wondering if Kiba's mother had actually seen her faltering back when she had just arrived in the nick of time, her thoughts were dismally interrupted by a stricken voice that once again seemed to suggest that something adverse was about to occur, that somehow, the peril they all thought was over was actually indeed far from it.

"Hang on… something… something's not right…Master… Master Hiashi!"

It was the Raikage's bodyguard whose eyes suddenly widened as he gripped his head in consternation; his urgent proclamation of the Hyuuga clan head's name saw him falling to his knees at the same time. Kurotsuchi and Tenten knelt beside him, as Hiashi's _Byakugan_ did its work.

"Someone… someone's trying to warn me… using telepathy… something… something about the medical tents… something about…the shinobi corpses with _Kekkei Genkai_…"

The pallor on Shizune's face was matched with the whitening knuckles of her clenched fists; the colour drained from her face even as she clamoured for Yuugao's presence immediately. As the ANBU female appeared out of nowhere, Tenten's recalled Sakura's brief explanation of Yuugao's experience with the early morning's failed attempt at a corpse infiltration, her mind spurning in repudiation and nihilism as the realisation hit her that this large-scale battle could actually have been set up for even more nefarious purposes, a diversion for yet another one of Kabuto's heinous schemes.

"C is right," Hiashi now spoke grimly as he faced the compound directly. "There are three figures… _Edo Tensei_… they're getting away with a few bodies."

Tenten felt C's shoulders tremble, as if he was getting yet another telepathic message. The young man's chiselled features were now forming a look of grave perplexity and distress, the exertion of maintaining mind contact with whoever had contacted him, causing the perspiration to pour out of his tight pores and a mild dribble to flow from his gaping mouth. His glassy-eyed expression and racking body sent cold shivers shooting up the spines of his comrades, with Shizune's urgent whispers for C to abandon the link as she poured chakra into his back raising the tension so sharply that Tenten found it difficult to breathe properly. It was the Kumo Jounin's harrowing revelation that chilled her to the bone; as he struggled to get his words out, every single syllable was alarming everyone present, especially those who hailed from the village of Konohagakure… especially Haruno Sakura and Tenten.

"He says… he says… that we must prevent them… prevent the three of them from … from reaching him… with those bodies… He says he… he doesn't want to be… doesn't want to be fully… to be fully resurrected… that… that he died… that he died a changed man… that he does not want… does not want to destroy… doesn't want to conquer the shinobi world anymore…"

Choking on his vomit as his whole body lurched forward, his hands gripped the wet grass tightly as he finally managed to finish his frightful report.

"He says his name is Hiruko."


	74. Chapter 74

**Part 9: An Inheritor's Will (Prologue)**

"_Scatter!"_

_Even before their adversary entered the scene, Tenten could already feel the ground rumbling despite the fact that she and her peers were all high up in the trees. Shikamaru's urgent holler had them all leap away from their original branches, with her soaring through the air and unhitching the hefty green scroll from her back at the same time. Landing on a higher branch together with Lee and Ino, she heard her female friend's gasp as they all witnessed a tall, skinny individual spinning upwards from the ground together with an enormous mass of dark blue slime beneath him. Her keen eyes widened as she observed how this mass was made up of snake-like creatures with glowing red eyes and strange shell-like structures on their heads._

"_Sakura and Naruto… they're getting away… we must stop them…"_

_Ino's hushed tone belied the conviction of her words; Tenten could sense the hesitance and confusion that she knew everyone had to be feeling, with Shikamaru's appalling revelation that the reason why Team Guy, Team 8 and Team 10 were all on this mission was to prevent Naruto and Sakura from reaching Kakashi. She could still hardly digest the impossibly ghastly truth that her idol the Fifth Hokage had actually allowed Team 7's Sensei to make the ultimate sacrifice for the village. Earlier she had been the one who sent the kunai flying past the duo in order to get her peers' attention, the sharp blade missing Naruto by a mere inch just like she had wanted it to. Now, like Lee and Kiba, she wondered if they were all doing the right thing; instead of preventing Naruto and Sakura from their rightful, meritorious mission, should the rest of the gang not be assisting them in rescuing Kakashi Sensei instead? Should they not agree with the Uzumaki's endearingly passionate and extremely convincing words, "It is true that in the world of ninja, those who break the rules and regulations are regarded as scum… but those who abandon their comrades are even worse than scum!"?_

"_Tenten, Lee! Stay put! We're dealing with this!"_

_She cast a worried glance at her friends who were now following the Nara Chunin's lead in leaping forward after Team 7, but soon knitted her brows as she knew that it was time for her to act. Having augmented his right arm to become a snake-like appendage, the intruder was now sending his summons directly from it; soon the members of Team 8 and Team 10 found themselves unceremoniously tied up by the thick living tentacles that were hissing menacingly as they wrapped themselves speedily and tightly around their limbs and torsos, their frantic, stunned ejaculations lost in the vast, intricate network of branches and leaves this high up in the forest._

"Kibaku Kunai_!" _

_Team Guy's trusty weapons expert vaulted a few trees ahead and unfurled her scroll, unleashing its mysterious contents. Six explosive-tagged kunai burst out from within in a puff of smoke, shooting towards their targets so swiftly that all the spectators could see were discordant mini-detonations that shook the dewy air, as if the snake-like appendages were exploding on their own accord. One by one, the kunai severed the slimy hold each tentacle had on each of the Konoha teens, allowing them to continue their pursuit of their friends._

_Tenten's attack had obviously piqued the man's annoyance, for he shot her a hateful glare as she re-grouped with her teammates on the same branch. As Neji's voice warned that the antagonist possessed high levels of chakra, the kunoichi studied him in greater detail; he bore a single mark on his forehead and wore his dark grey bang on the left. The deep violet outfit covering his scrawny frame was decorated with several black buckled straps, and while his left bony shoulder was bared, exposing the fair skin above the purple arm gloves, a short ash-grey cloak covered his right. While he was not yet at eye level with the three of them, the tower of wriggling snake monsters he was standing on had him quite a few metres above ground._

_It took just a slight shift of Neji's left foot and a split second after for Konoha's weapons mistress to act._

_Recognising his deft signal at once, Tenten turned a back somersault, and as she dropped towards the ground, launched yet another barrage of _Kibaku Kunai _that whizzed straight at the man's messy mount, instantly blowing it apart and sending the grisly creatures splattering all over in their own blood. Thrown off his now non-existent steed, the man fell backwards, landing shakily on his sandaled feet. It was only with his quick mind and credible reflexes that saw him responding almost immediately to this staggering moment, sending his own spinning projectiles at the fast approaching Neji and Lee who were following Tenten's move. The trio darted back and forth in avoidance of the black spheres that had their own explosive force on impact, blowing up the surrounding ground and foliage._

"_You're not the only one who can do that, you little bitch!"_

_The following minutes saw the three male shinobi tussle in various rounds of _taijutsu_ furore, the adversary displaying substantial defensive manoeuvres and ability to dodge even Lee's frenetic kicks and punches. Tenten kept her distance, knowing that her male teammates might need tactical support at any moment; her pulse raced when she saw the man releasing his snake tentacles from his arm again. Neji's _Kaiten_ disrupted their advance, tearing the creatures apart with the swirling rotation of incredible chakra, before their green-clad _taijutsu _expert took point again, rushing in at the man with his energetic _Gouken _bursts. Showing impressive teamwork when their enemy fired more projectiles, the duo kept themselves contained within the Hyuuga teen's _Kaiten_, parrying the exploding spinning spheres effectively. The girl winced as she saw how the opponent's ability to regenerate his snakes matched the speed of the Hyuuga's signature _taijutsu, _thinking if she should just divert his attention with her weapons._ _As if he could read her mind, in the next moment, Neji launched himself into the air, yelling at Tenten to provide back-up support after commanding Lee to use his Front Lotus on him._

"_I won't let you stop them!"_

_Though she was not certain what Neji had in mind to counter the snakes' regenerative abilities, Tenten trusted him fully, obeying his request by meeting each and every one of the spheres that the attacker was shooting upwards at her friends, with a sharply accurate explosive-tagged kunai. Even before the fluttering debris from the mid-air detonations had flitted to the ground, she was already sending kunai and shuriken cutting through the air towards him. The morning air was filled with clashing clangs as opposing metals met, before it was disturbed even further by the Team Guy partners who had completed their combination move, sparking the atmosphere with a dizzying display of swirling blue and white energy rapidly spinning downwards at the man. _

"Omote Renga_! _Hakkeshou Kaiten_!" _

_After defeating the man, the trio was fraught with concern when his body suddenly vanished right in front of their eyes. Tenten sped forward with the boys, quickly passing through the first gate leading to Mount Shumisen and re-grouping with Hinata, Kiba and Shino, who said the same news about their own female opponent. Her breath caught in her throat minutes later, her vision greeted by the abominable sight of an air-borne gigantic monstrosity that was flapping its frightfully humongous wings at Team 10's members, who had flung themselves in a prone position on the ground to avoid their buffeting, blustery prowess. Her expertise was required immediately, with Shikamaru asking her to handle the snarling beast after Shino commented that even his _Kikaichuu_ parasitic insects would prove innocuous against such a creature. As the rest of the gang scattered in preparation for the next move, Tenten inhaled deeply as the huge monster turned its glowing eyes on her for a split second before it propelled forward, throwing its massive form at her direction. Leaping off the ground as she unfurled her scroll, the gutsy kunoichi gave a mighty bellow as she summoned a dozen weighted chains, the seemingly never-ending metallic lengths exploding from her scroll and screeching their way over and over the beast's colossal body, rendering its wings and explosive-tipped feathers temporarily harmless. _

_"Doesn't matter, you tried your best," Tenten gritted and clenched her teeth as she gave her own chain a hard tug to bring a wing back down. "Makes it easier for us now, with all three of them trapped like this... in this… freak show."_

_After Shikamaru had left and gone through the third gate after Naruto, Sakura and Sai, the rest of the Konoha 12 gang were transferring their chakra to Tenten's chains that were binding the chimera beast. Learning from Ino that it was a third assailant who had summoned the two that Team Guy and Team 8 had been combating, she gave a contemptuous look of disgust as the Yamanaka girl described how he had merged together with his accomplices to form this horrifying chimera beast. Her friend was lamenting that she had been unsuccessful in using her _Shintensen no Jutsu_ against Team 10's opponent, who had broken out of her mind grip quickly enough to carry out this repugnant Chimera Technique._

_"Yes, at least this time I took over his mind faster, at least two seconds faster than the last guy I took," Ino replied with an impish grin. "By the way, the guys were quite impressed with the way you summoned these awesome chains!"_

_Those 'awesome chains' in question were what knocked the Konoha teens off their feet, as the monstrosity disappeared so abruptly without warning that the impact caused all eight of them to land on their bottoms since their hands had still been gripping the taut chains tightly. Neji surmised that it must have been summoned by Hiruko, and the gang was soon rushing against time to reach their comrades. The Hyuuga youth gave some hurried instructions on how to carry out their attack against the chimera, with Tenten chiming in after he had finished dishing out his orders._

_"Ino, use _Shintensen_ to hold the monster in its place if you can! I'll need that backup while I get all my _Kibaku Kunai _ready to attack!"_

_She could feel a sense of dread surging from withinas they approached, the gloomy skies darkening even further with stormy clouds ravaging the heavens. The tremendous ground exploded as she saw Sai, Sakura and Shikamaru scampering desperately for safety amidst falling rocks, with the boys almost plunging from a rocky ledge into the dark and bottomless abyss of the monster's wide and open mouth. Tenten saw Kiba and Akamaru reach Shikamaru first, while Shino got Sai out of harm's way as well. Ino sped forward to the area where Sakura was in danger of being overcome by crushing rocks, grabbed her forcefully and performed a successful _Kararimi no Jutsu_, bringing her to safety._

"_All right everyone! Let's go!"_

_Chouji started the ball rolling, by literally rolling his enlarged body, having been transformed by his _Baika no Jutsu_, the Human Bullet Tank rocketing towards and smashing directly into the air-borne creature with such a devastating force that a sonic boom reverberated across the raging skies. After Kiba and Akamaru drilled through its wings with _Gatsuga_, Neji and Hinata appeared out of nowhere and dropped themselves onto the beast's humungous body in mid-air, hitting all of its chakra points with him performing _Hakke Rokujuuyon Shou_ and her a toned down thirty-two hit version of the Eight Trigrams technique. As it struggled to keep its weakened form in the air, it was assaulted by Lee's _Konoha Senpuu_, the single whirlwind kick sending it crashing violently into a rocky mound. Even as the Team Guy kunoichi heard his voice calling out her name, she was already firing up her vocal chords, firstly yelling for Ino to hold the chimera in place before gliding towards the abomination with her scrolls spiralling around her._

"Soushoryuu_!"_

_With her Twin Rising Dragons move unravelling, Tenten's skills with _fuinjutsu_ were igniting the tumultuous atmosphere, as she sent streams of explosive-tagged kunai flying towards the beast. One by one, the blades lodged themselves into its body; as the thousands of projectiles filled every inch, every centimetre of its sprawling surface area, Neji and Lee stood close behind in support. As the other end of the treacherous arena lit up in a dazzling display of kinetic energy with Naruto's _Rasenshuriken_ devouring the shrieking Hiruko's pulverised body, Tenten detonated all the explosive tags stuck to the chimera's body with a mental and verbal command, firing up the heavily charged atmosphere with a tempestuous explosion that matched Naruto's own._

"_That was… amazing, Tenten."_

_The girl blinked, startled by her teammate's voice from behind. In the midst of their celebratory throes of the mission's success, the Konoha youths were making their way home, teasing and half-jesting about Kakashi's homosexual inclinations towards his own student. She was just about to stride forward but paused after Neji spoke. She found herself blushing slightly but still turned around and gave a nonchalant grin, despite the exhilaration that was tingling all her senses and the warm glow that was emanating from her core. _

"_I'm… I'm serious, Tenten. You… you've become… you… you are a fine kunoichi and a great teammate."_

_The comforting squeeze that he gave her tense shoulder as he walked past her sent a pleasurable jolt down her back, causing her to almost swoon in his wake. She locked the haunting image of his gentle, ethereal smile in her mind, telling herself to never ever let go of this memory, chiding herself for appearing so girly in front of one whom she had admired for so long. Tenten cast another glance at the demolished ruins, appreciating the wondrous beauty that followed such destructive annihilation as she gazed at the rising plumes of smoke that were painting the dreary landscape with deeper shades of grey._

_Just as she was about to turn back and join her friends, the teen thought her keen eyes had caught some movement. Squinting at the area where the chimera had been blown apart, she thought she saw sunlight being reflected off someone's glasses. There were two more flashes before she detected no more movement except for the billowing smoke that was fogging up the vast, desecrated terrain. Deciding that her eyes must have been playing tricks on her, she blamed her overly imaginative and analytical mind for her constant need to tie up loose ends, something that her peers teased her about at times._

_With a mild shrug, Tenten swivelled around and skipped gaily to catch up with the others, even as the sunlight did reflect itself off a man's glasses one last time, before he disappeared with his loot - the savagely ravaged bodies that had once merged to form the chimera beast._


	75. Chapter 75

**Part 9: An Inheritor's Will (1)**

"Okay, I was joking about this being a Konoha party earlier, but you guys are clearly not joking here, are you?"

Tenten recognised that her Iwa friend was trying to enliven the atmosphere with her pun, but she hardly showed any response as she continued scaling the branches from one tree to the next. Her mind was throbbing in its attempt to excavate as much information as she could from the recesses of her memory bank, just like Kabuto Yakushi had somehow dug up the body that Kakashi-_sensei_ had buried back in Konoha after the group's adventure at Mount Shumisen back then. Her heart palpitated as she now remembered how she had wanted to investigate the chimera monster's remains, but her jubilant peers had started on their victorious long journey home without giving it a second thought after their literally ground-breaking battle. The realisation that she could indeed have noticed someone pilfering the chimera remains from the scourged battlefield sent a jolt of regret through her bloodstream; the thought that it could have been Kabuto's glasses she had seen made her curse herself even more.

Kurotsuchi's cursory comment was not off the mark though; rather, it was shockingly accurate. Apart from the Iwa Jounin, C and the four Sealing Team members, the rest of the assembly were all Konoha shinobi who were charging forward as they followed Hiashi's lead. Deciding to take no further chances since she completely comprehended the grave consequences if Kabuto did manage to succeed in his unthinkable plan, Shizune had no choice but to call forth the members of the eight-man squad, with the daunting suggestion that both Tenten and Sakura had to take the lead this time.

"You're the only two here who've faced Hiruko and his minions," the Captain's deeply aggravated tone betrayed the turmoil within, her dark eyes fixated on the two Konoha teen girls whose pale faces and stricken eyes now registered astonishment, disbelief and doubt. "You've both gone through the debrief after the Mount Shumisen mission, you know… you will know more or less what to do in face of Hiruko's henchmen. Whatever you do, you must prevent Ichi, Ni and San from reaching Hiruko and… hey, hey both of you! Don't waver… Sakura, Tenten, stop shaking your heads and look at me! You must stop them, you understand me? You must… you must stop them, no matter what."

No longer feeling the need to adopt a more genial disposition, Shizune's relentless gaze was burning into the two younger kunoichi's apprehensive own, forcing them to quell any glimmer of self-dubiety, raise their chins and step up to the task. The two exchanged a quick look of determination before nodding wordlessly even as the dark-haired medic was reminding Sakura to stay close to Tenten in case she needed to use the Bashosen and help keep the latter's chakra levels up.

"We must move quickly… we must move now," Hiashi spoke. "I can't seem to pinpoint exactly where Hiruko is, and the only way to get to him is to get to his men."

"You're not going to leave me out of all the fun, are you Hiashi old boy? Sorry for eavesdropping… can't help my sharp ears, can I? But hey, I didn't come all the way here just to play with a few stupid Zetsu bastards you know?"

Tenten noticed Kurotsuchi's eyes lighting up at the way the newcomer was addressing the head of the Hyuuga clan as she sauntered into the tent with a large wolf-like _ninken _canine with black and white fur. The woman's untamed brown spiky hair complemented the animalistic look she wore, her vertical slit-like pupils and elongated canine teeth, along with the dark magenta clan fang markings on her cheeks, make-up around her eyes and lipstick, all lent her a wild, feral appearance. What erased that look of snide mockery on the Iwa Jounin's face was the deep, gravelly voice that emerged from the one-eared, one-eyed dog beside her.

"Tsume and I can help track our targets down as well. And if these are _Edo Tensei_ resurrections, shouldn't we have Sealing Team members on our team too? We'd better have a proper plan, and a proper team, before we depart."

Shizune reeled slightly at the less than gentle reminders coming from a talking animal, but before she could speak again, she was interrupted by the meek tone of the lone Akimichi in the tent.

"As much as I want to, I… I don't think I should be going along for this mission."

Tenten turned to look at Gouza who had been keeping a low profile all this time at a dark corner, evidently thinking through the current situation very carefully indeed. Despite his cautious start, the young Konoha shinobi then carried on to explain in a more confident voice that they would certainly require a couple of Akimichi clansmen who could prove useful with their brute strength and ability to augment their size at will. Recommending his cousins Kinza and Ginza in his stead, the youth stated that he could remain in the compound and help Shizune and her logistical team restore some order instead.

"You little punk! This is no time to be scared, Gouza! I didn't expect you to be such a pussycat!"

Totally taken aback by Kurotsuchi's brash outburst, the horrified Tenten faced the older kunoichi and was just about to defend her friend when the young man cleared his throat and told her that it was all right.

"I'm not a coward, Miss Kurotsuchi. The truth is that I'm … I'm not born of the Akimichi lineage, but I'm extremely proud to call myself an Akimichi… foster son even if I don't possess my cousins' clan abilities. I'll be more helpful here in the medical compound, and I'll do my best in whatever way I can to contribute."

Smiling not at the embarrassment that was clouding over Kurotsuchi's flushed cheeks nor at Hiashi's satisfied chortle at the Iwa kunoichi's discomfort, Tenten gave Gouza a brief but warm hug, elated and proud that he could finally stand up for himself and put his shame behind him. A rejuvenated C threw his hands up in exasperation as he rolled his eyes upwards, annoyed at the turn the conversation was taking.

"Yeah yeah, whatever, great on your honest confession and all, Gouza, but hello? Can we get back to the real problem here? I can't seem to establish a telephatic link with Hiruko anymore! Maybe if we get closer… he'll be able to talk to me again, but I'm not sure if my abilities are strong enough to…"

"Which is why… the three shinobi that I've brought along fit the bill perfectly for this mission!" Tsume cackled riotously, raising her own hands in the like C had but for vastly different reasons, since she was obviously celebrating her own ingenuity in a dramatically triumphant moment as she brought in the rest of her posse, whom she delighted in introducing one by one and drawing approving gasps and raising gratified eyebrows.

A young man with dark, spiky hair entered, his red-framed sunglasses obscuring his eyes from the current occupants of the tent. Dressed in the standard Konoha shinobi outfit complete with flak jacket, he wore his forehead protector slightly tilted to the left. A _tokubetsu_ Jounin who had been placed by the Fifth Hokage in one of the twenty four-man platoons of the _Nijuu Shoutai_ special task force to scour the Land of Fire to hunt down Akatsuki members, he was now in the Intelligence Division and activated in Division Five like the other two. His usual laid-back and jovial personality was put on hold here, yet his amiable nature was still displayed by the generous smile he wore in greeting the party in the tent.

"Aoba Yamashiro."

The second Konoha individual entering the tent was a large, imposing presence; a fierce, severe scowl decorated his heavily scarred and rugged face as he strode in, his bald head covered with his signature black bandana and forehead protector bearing the Allied Shinobi Forces' '_Ren_' symbol. Like the rest of her peers, Tenten had heard of, and believed in, rumours of how the man's head was always covered to conceal a collection of burn marks, screw punctures and long slash marks that travelled right down to his chiselled face. Apparently, these scars were indicative of the physical torture he had endured in the past, and illustrated his capacity to endure pain without giving up desired information to the enemy. After all, as a master of physical and psychological interrogation himself, he did have to live up to his reputation as one of the village's top ANBU interrogators and the Head of the Konoha Torture and Interrogation Force.

"Ibiki Morino."

The tall, slender and fair-skinned woman entered, her black, untamed hair caressing her nape and shoulders. What set her apart were her large eyes that were red in colour and had an additional ring in them. Her make-up consisted of red lipstick and purple eye shadow that highlighted her unique eyes even more, and she wore a simple red sleeveless outfit under her green flak jacket. While the Jounin's renowned expertise in _genjutsu_ rivalled many in Konoha, it was not that fact that was causing Sakura and Tenten to gape in disbelief. What was causing even Shizune to recoil in distress was of course the fact that the Team 8 mentor and lover of the late Asuma Sarutobi - whose resurrected form Tenten had just met the day before - should still be in confinement, since she had given birth to her baby daughter just three weeks back. Tsume's theatrical introduction was thus bluntly intruded, as the division caption scampered hurriedly towards her friend in question, grabbed both of her slender arms and screamed,

"What on earth are you even doing here, Kurenai Yuuhi?!"


	76. Chapter 76

**Part 9: An Inheritor's Will (2)**

"We are gaining on them. They don't seem to be moving as quickly as they can with the corpses they have taken. Tenten, remember you may have to be the one to take down the air-borne beast."

The Team Guy kunoichi gave the affirmative as she soared ahead, glancing at the other shinobi who were traversing through the heavily foliaged terrain together with her. Hiashi's extensive visual range was working its wonders, the _dojutsu Kekkei Genkai_ of his clan granting him the remarkably wondrous ability to track their current targets so effectively. Similarly below them, Tsume and Kuromaru were using their heightened sense of smell in pursuit; by concentrating chakra to their noses, this sense was amplified to an even greater extent allowing both woman and loyal companion to be able to detect, track and monitor targets from fairly long distances away.

At the moment, riding together with Tsume atop the fearsome _ninken_ was the petrified C, the handsome Kumo blonde utterly flustered that Shizune had insisted on this blasphemy just before the squad departed speedily from the compound in a Northwest direction. "What if Hiruko attempts to contact you again? We can't have you plummeting from the trees if he attacks your mind and you get thrown off-guard like before. With the _ninken_ carrying you, you can also try to re-establish your mental link with him… no, I don't care about that, C. No argument, soldier, listen to your captain and get on Kuromaru right now!"

Both Kurotsuchi and Hiashi especially had thoroughly enjoyed this humiliating exchange between the hapless Kumo and his persistent leader; the Hyuuga man had even dropped his staunch solemnity once again to crack another rare joke at C's expense, reminding the red-faced Jounin for the seemingly umpteenth time about how his earlier 'Konoha curs' remark was now 'biting him in the ass', causing both Tsume and Kuromaru to emit low growls at the derogatory term and Kurotsuchi to break into her frequent hysterics that saw her slapping Hiashi's back again.

The poor blonde's sudden yelp caused by the huge dog landing particularly violently as he leapt over a tall clump of bushes brought a stifled giggle as she sailed through the canopy; despite the severity of the situation, Tenten could not help but feel an odd thrill to be in the company of so many of her fellow villagers, respectable shinobi warriors who had proven their capabilities time and again. Lagging slightly behind were the ever loyal Kinza and Ginza, who acceded to Shizune's urgent request with no further question, and were bringing up the rear together with the four Sunakagure Sealing Team members holding on to their hefty bales of mystical cloth. The latter group reminded the kunoichi of her late comrade, Takuma, and their unfortunate experiences that had escalated all the way to his tragically heroic demise earlier in the day; shuddering a little, she shook her head and tried to bury such painful thoughts for now, willing herself to focus on the task at hand.

"Aoba, don't forge ahead too much. We have to keep close to the Kumo fella in case that _Edo Tensei_ zombie tries to contact him again."

It was Ibiki's baritone that broke the silence this time, and Tenten was reminded again of how awestruck she had felt when she first encountered this striking man; the Head of the Konoha Torture and Interrogation Force had a reputation that preceded him, so famed was his psychological prowess that mothers, to the man's great exacerbation, still used his name to invoke fear in young children when they misbehaved, threatening to call upon this terrifying man to punish them. The first time Tenten had ever seen him smile – almost an anomaly that was considered a big deal in Konoha – was during one of his frequent visits to the orphanage where she used to live; the caretakers there were among those who kept using Ibiki's name to get the children to be on their best behaviour since he seemed to be dropping by so often with treats and gifts for the children. Despite his kind gestures and obvious affection, the young dwellers remained intimidated and wary, fearful that he was always on the lookout for victims and subject them to his infamous 'mind torture experiments'. Tenten doubted that he remembered her after all these years, since even at both Chunin exams she had taken part in, Ibiki's imperious, predatory eyes had not shown a second's flicker of recognition.

The ANBU interrogator's curt reminder to the younger _Tokubetsu_ Jounin sparked Tenten's interest of how Ibiki and Aoba were hoping to somehow hijack Hiruko's psychic transmission to the highly reticent C, who was definitely feeling less spirited and resolute as his dauntless talking steed continued bounding forward so brazenly. While Ibiki's unique abilities to completely understand the workings of the human mind were notoriously known among the youths, the female Chunin hardly had any inkling of Aoba's skills. All she knew at that moment was that he had to be granted the ninja rank of a _Tokubetsu _Jounin for a reason or another. Just like Tsume and Ibiki, Aoba had to possess Jounin-level abilities in certain specific areas, to actually be warranted the title of an elite specialist and be currently placed in the Fifth Division like her friends Ino, Shino and Kiba.

"The terrain's changing… we're coming out of the forest soon."

Kurenai Yuuhi's lilting voice resounded gently in Tenten's ears, prompting her to cast a tentative, furtive glance at the woman who trailing slightly behind her. Even though she had been out of action for so long, it seemed as if her senses remained as keen as ever, displaying how the Jounin must have been on uncountable missions before she got pregnant with Asuma-_sensei_'s child; after all, Kurenai was a role model to many young kunoichi in Konoha, admired not only for her widely celebrated _genjutsu_ skills but also for her beauty and sense of style. The regular outfit she adorned - a red mesh armour blouse with only the right sleeve visible, covered over by a very broad bandage-like material with a pattern similar to that of rose thorns, hands and upper thighs wrapped in bandages – was a constant topic of gleeful discussion even among the boys. Once, when Tenten had jovially suggested that Hinata should imitate her mentor's fashion choices and wear a skimpy outfit as well, the Hyuuga girl had been so traumatised that she immediately crossed her arms over her ample bosom, meekly retorting that she would do so "…_only if_ _Tenten-chan… wears Guy-sensei's green leotard too_!"

The memory brought a sad smile to her face; even as she basked in the temporary alleviation the delightful thought brought, she was also recalling how heart-breaking it had been for Team 10 and Team 8's members in the past year. She would never forget the number of Ino's sleepless nights after Asuma-_sensei_'s death, and Hinata's shocking news that Kurenai had been carrying their child during the time of his demise. Tenten and Neji would accompany the young Hyuuga female whenever they could in between missions, but they usually found themselves loitering outside Kurenai's house while Hinata visited; she shared Neji's reluctance in entering as she too did not know how to act, nor what to say, in face of such a dreadful, lamentable situation, of an unborn child who would never know the hero she had as a father.

"Tenten… you saw him… you saw Asuma yesterday, didn't you? They say… they say he appeared on the coasts… and they managed to seal him."

Her frazzled mind almost imploded as the ethereally elegant woman fell in step with her, leaping over branches and lightly using them as their pivot points at the same time. Knowing that she had taught the younger kunoichi totally off-guard, Kurenai kept her tone as benign, as non-threatening as possible, imploring her to share some information about what had occurred the day before.

"I… I just… I know it's silly, Tenten… but I just… I just need to know… need to know what happened… to him. Please."

Staring into Kurenai's sparkling red orbs was almost more than the teen girl could bear; the older woman's grievous plea was sending millions of needles pricking her nerves all over, and it took her a few moments to respond haltingly as she struggled to find the right words. The Jounin's eyes shimmered as Tenten cautiously recounted the first day's battles, with Ino's soft, sorrowful tone playing in her head as she focused on Team 10's anguished battle with their beloved mentor. Kurenai's tears finally fell when she heard how the resurrected man had roared at Shikamaru, Ino and Chouji to take him down, even yelling instructions for them to follow so that they could seal him eventually. Tenten felt her own nose quiver as she fell silent after finishing her report, rueful that she had had to be a bearer of such terrible news.

"I'm glad… I'm glad that my husband… my baby's father… he's a hero even when he's dead," the Jounin's deep sense of courage and optimism flowed through her words, surprising the teen even further. Wiping away her tears with one hand, the new mother and ever-ready fighter flashed a brilliant smile that bestowed the gratitude she felt. "Thank you, Tenten… thank you for sharing… for telling the truth about what happened. You saved Shikamaru a few hours of agony here, so I guess he owes you one!"

The younger kunoichi gaped in utter stupefaction, awed that even when she was listening to such devastating news, Team 8's mentor could still put on such a secure, tenacious façade. Telling herself that Kurenai's unsurpassable strength was something that she had to learn, Tenten acknowledged her smile with an equally wide grin and joked that she would definitely make Shikamaru pay for it later.

"We need to descend… forest's ending."

Sakura's grim command for the group to descend took Tenten out of her reverie, and she followed her co-leader in gliding down from the tall branches. Even though they were still miles away from the coasts where Kinkaku and Kakuzu had depredated the land, Tenten realised that they were indeed closer to the Division One camp than before as the soles of her sandals touched the almost barren ground, safe for tufts of brown grass that dotted the area surrounded by rocks and boulders. Her heart sank a little as she realised that after one big merry-go-round, Neji Hyuuga remained as elusive as ever in the opposite direction where Division Two was located; chiding herself for having such thoughts now, the young kunoichi forced herself to remember Shizune's heartfelt words, as well as the myriad lessons she had learnt from Yuugao and even Gouza in the preceding hours; Kurenai's very recent display would also serve as a constant reminder to her of the need for an indomitable will to face every challenge, no matter how adverse it could be.

_I have to stop being so wilful. As Shizune said, I will meet Neji after all this… and … and our reunion will be… sweet._

"I can see why my nephew speaks so highly of you."

Tenten almost stumbled in mid-run as those carelessly thrown words shook her world again, even more than how Kurenai's request had just three minutes ago. The baffled look she shot at the speaker was returned with a genuine smile before he turned his eyes back to the vast horizon ahead, though he continued confounding the girl's senses with his exposition.

"Neji approached me a few days ago, and he told me to take care of you since we were both deployed in Division One. Of course, Hinata's already relayed the same request by that time, but the way he was acting… well, let's just say he wasn't his usual self… acting all awkward and all. I told him I would try my best to look out for you but asked him why he was doing this. Neji … he just said that… it was because he couldn't."

Her heartbeat pounding in her ears, her senses all ignited, Tenten felt moisture leaving her eyelids again. As much as she was trying to regain her composure, knowing that at any time now, the battle could begin, the thoughts that were now swimming in her head begged to be answered. Hiashi was now saying that based on his experiences with her since the morning began, he could understand why Neji had acted in that highly implausible manner even if Tenten had proven that she was more than capable of fending for herself. As impossible as it had to be, the Hyuuga man's white eyes seemed to be twinkling as he continued,

"Know that Neji cares for you as much as you care for him, Tenten."

Just before the speechless girl could find her tongue again, the commanding voice of yet another Konoha adult caught her attention.

"One of them has stopped moving forward!" hollered Tsume, whose nose was moving furiously in a strangely erratic fashion. "He seems to be making his way back… he knows we're in pursuit!"


	77. Chapter 77

**Part 9: An Inheritor's Will (3)**

"_Don't let them reach me! You cannot let them reach me!"_

_The Kumogakure Jounin reeled in hysteria, finding himself floating in pitch black, the only light actually emanating from his own body, as if he was invoking a very much more torpid version of his usually blinding _Raigen Raikouchuu_ jutsu. The surrounding sea of darkness seemed to have robbed him of the ability to speak; having his mind so contumeliously invaded was driving C to desperation and he found himself overcome by so much panic that he was almost hyperventilating in the drowning silence._

"_Please… you need to help me."_

_It was the earnest plea, the genuine despair etched in the speaker's voice, that gave the flummoxed man some sense of anchor; he froze for a few seconds after the last tendrils of the echo died off before the throbbing in his head subsided slightly. In the dim light, he could be seen knitting his brows as he berated himself inwardly. Since he was skilled in _genjutsu _and had undergone years of training to ensure that his mind was tenacious enough withstand mind assaults by others. Of course, he had to remind himself that this was also the first time he was facing such a formidable adversary, one who was able to telegraph his thoughts from such a stupendous distance away._

"_They… they don't know… that I'm contacting you… young man… he doesn't know as well…"_

_The invader's voice brushed past his ears eerily, but by now, C had allayed his inner fears and assuaged his riled senses enough to bring his heart rate back down to a less life-threatening rate. Clenching his fists and contracting his muscles, he braced his parched vocal chords and asked exactly what he wanted him to do, confidence wavering slightly when his voice came out as a meek squeak._

"_You're still afraid of me… you don't have to be afraid of me… yet…"_

_This time, C felt a chill creep up his spine; the speaker's voice, though still gentle and husky, seemed now to be filled with just a little menace… a little more edge, seemed a little more sinister… more ominous. _

_Quite suddenly, the endless darkness erupted and the young blonde was plunged into a completely different world, one filled with vivid colours and explosive action. C's stricken eyes were treated to myriad images of a bandaged figure with his face half-covered engaging in battles with multiple opponents… of him carrying grisly experiments… of his heavily stitched body absorbing bloodlines of dead sacrifices. The hapless Kumo gaped in wide-eyed consternation as he saw a white-haired man with red eyes, dressed in an over-sized, high-collared coat, creating a synthetic body by combining several separate ones… saw him fleeing from the Sannin after his ghastly work was discovered… saw him stealing _Kekkei Genkai_ abilities from other shinobi. He gawked as he recognised Naruto and his friends fighting a high-octane battle… with the figure absorbing the feisty teen's energy ball with his palm… with the figure vanishing from sight in a flash as the plucky Sakura tore the ground apart with a single punch and attacking the pink-haired kunoichi and moving so swiftly that he was barely visible except for a few streaks flying back and forth… the figure breaking the _tanto _of a third, midriff baring male swooping down from mid-air simply by raising his hand and making contact with the metal. _

_Despite the terror overwhelming him again, despite his inner voice screaming at him that he had to salvage his sanity, C found that he was consumed by a morbid fascination to continue watching even as his tear ducts started working overtime. The figure was now creating controlling the ground and crushing ANBU shinobi in his wake… he was electrocuting his wailing victims and draining them of their chakra by creating dark thunderclouds that devoured the skies… he was using his bandages as whipping tendrils to slice and smash through colossal boulders… he was using the abilities he had absorbed from others and creating even more earth-shattering versions of various Nature Release techniques on his own… he was creating hundreds of chimera beasts of all shapes and sizes and they were all moving and flying and leaping and running and thundering and screeching their way nearer and nearer towards him until they were all right in front of him until they were all baring their fangs and threatening to eat him alive…_

_And C found himself howling endlessly, his strangled cries hopelessly lost in the vast depths of darkness. When he dared to open his eyes again, he found a floating figure a great distance away, a figure he suddenly recognised as the one that had been projected to all Five Great Shinobi Countries at once, one that struck fear in everyone's hearts less than a year ago as he declared that he was going to plunge the whole world right into the Fourth Shinobi World War. _

"_Now you know why you must stop them… must stop him…don't let them get those _Kekkei Genkai_ bodies to me!"_

_The last sentence was wailed out so loudly that C found himself screaming along as the image transformed abruptly to that of a heavily stitched up and bandaged emaciated, troll-like figure with razor-sharp teeth and bulging red eyes speeding so close towards him that he knew that he was going to smash right into him in the next second…_

"He's coming out of it."

Just as Tsume had yelled the warning that their targets must have got wind of their pursuit, the Kumo Jounin had suddenly had a seizure, crashing violently onto the ground as he lost grip and foothold of Kuromaru's body. For the past minute, he had been a dazed stupor, unable to respond to his comrades at all. As Sakura placed her glowing hands over the cuts and bruises sustained from the brutal tumble and Ibiki cradled C's head in his lap while invoking his own powers to work, Tenten held on to Kurotsuchi's hand, praying fervently that she would not lose another courageous comrade this chaotic, ruckus-filled morning. His stricken eyes were devoid of any focus as they stared blankly ahead, the one time his eye-lids stretched themselves giving him a deeply petrified look, as if his mind was being terrorised. Tenten grimaced at the sight of the crimson trail trickling from his left nostril and the saliva dribbling from his gaping mouth, her own mind flung back to her own traumatising ordeal under the malicious hands of the Akiya imposter.

All morning, ever since Yuugao had come to her rescue before they attacked the cove, a disturbing thought had been eating its way from the back of her mind, where she had shoved it due to other more urgent matters requiring her undivided attention. The two sensor impersonators had clearly mentioned that their nefarious plan had been set in place by a White Zetsu clone that had taken her form, and what was even more perturbing was the possibility that this could be the same clone that had ravaged her mind. Knowing that the impersonator was among those labelled as 'mutant clones', the kunoichi had every right to worry about what kind of abilities these clones had, and what other kinds of mischief her imposter could have been up to since the night before. Making a mental note to deliver this information as soon as she could, Tenten turned her attention back to C when Ibiki announced that he was coming to.

"He… Hiruko… he… says… we must stop them… must stop him… from… from… those bodies…"

Despite his slurred speech and obviously perplexed train of thought, the rest deduced that C had been sent another warning by an increasingly distressed Hiruko. Leaving Aoba and Kurenai to tend to the overwrought Kumo male, Ibiki grunted his own rancour, dissatisfied that the short minute had not allowed him to zoom in on Hiruko's exact location.

"That zombie must have somehow reached C's mind when he and the other sensors entrapped the White Zetsus in their _genjutsu_ earlier. Perhaps since he's probably the strongest among his team, his mind might have stood out like a light bulb to Hiruko," the Konoha male spat, raising his towering figure back to its full height. "I managed to get some … a rough idea of where he could be, but he broke away too quickly for me."

"He could be hiding himself from Kabuto," chimed in Kurenai even while she kept her hands on C's temple, not lifting her gaze from his. "It seems that this…Hiruko really wants to prevent his minions from getting those bloodline bodies to him, and he's even managed to cloak himself from Kabuto's detection. His body could be incapacitated wherever he's hiding, but he's using the power of his mind to communicate with C."

Ibiki kept his severe gaze studying the tranquil blue sky and open rocky ground ahead for a few more moments, before he turned back to address the group, shocking them all with his dismal, foreboding words,

"Well, we'd better find him soon. If he contacts this young man here again, I'm not certain if his mind will be able to take it. Another mind invasion… may actually kill C."


	78. Chapter 78

**Part 9: An Inheritor's Will (4)**

"Snakes! Thousands of those creepy… vile, revolting creatures! I can smell them!"

Kuromaru, having been off-loaded of the additional burden by Ibiki, was actively gambolling ahead with Tsume on his back before he skidded to a full stop and started rasping about what his acute senses had picked up. Tenten and Sakura looked at each other briefly as their first opponent was determined; just like back when the Konoha 12 had faced Hiruko's accomplices, it seemed as if Team Guy's adversary back then who would be the first to greet the sixteen-men squad. While the former had faced Ichi in earnest battle before together with the two belligerent _taijutsu _experts she had for teammates, she reasoned that Hiashi would undoubtedly still be needed to continue tracking the other two _Edo Tensei _villains and thus could not be spared.

"They're moving faster than before… damn it, the winged creature is flying even higher now!"

The Hyuuga clan head's voice was filled with taut pressure, the distinct urgency ringing the alarms in everyone's heads. Tenten did some mental calculations as she continued running before she called out for her comrades to take heed, recalling Hiashi's earlier reminder that the Bashosen might be required to handle the air-borne chimera monster flying ahead.

"Yuugao, Kurotsuchi, Kinza! You guys will have to take him out, or at least distract him so that he doesn't hold us back! His chimera snake summons are capable of tying us up and preventing us from proceeding!" The young kunoichi felt her pulse racing in tandem with the adrenaline coursing in her veins; apart from a few low-ranked missions, she had never taken charge before and definitely not for such large group handling such a critical mission. As she inwardly wished that Guy-_sensei _could see her now, she knew that her doe-eyes were sparkling with uncontained thrill and excitement. "Ichi is a very fast and versatile fighter, capable of both close and long range combat! It was only with Lee helping to increase the speed of Neji's _Kaiten_ with his _Omote Renga_ while I was distracting him with my projectiles that we were able to bring him down!"

"If that's the case, I have something up my sleeve to handle him, I believe!" It was Aoba who had spoken as he kept stride with the young squad leader, dark glasses veiling the twinkle in his eyes. "If his purpose is to delay our progress with his snakes, I should be able to counter that. We should have one Suna shinobi stay behind as well in case we get to seal him."

Grateful for the assistance and volunteerism, the kunoichi nodded as the squad forged ahead, noticing how C's pallor seemed to have improved a little; with Ibiki's black trench coat and sturdy arms keeping the Kumo Jounin's frigid torso warmer, the blanched look on his face seemed to have softened even though he still seemed to be in a daze, mumbling inaudibly under his breath. Keeping her trepidation for the harried blonde in control, Tenten inhaled deeply as she heard Kurotsuchi, Kinza and the Sealing Team member Souchi give their hearty verbal acknowledgements. Knowing that she still had certain issues to resolve with Yuugao, after exchanging a few words with Sakura, she glanced at the silent female, whose luxurious purple hair was trailing fleetingly behind her. The ANBU kept her steely gaze unflinchingly ahead, although her brief utterance of "Well planned, Captain" and the curling of her red lips more than sufficed in lifting Tenten's spirits.

"It… it's like a wasteland… a wasteland of snakes!"

Kuromaru's distaste for the dark blue mutated creatures was apparent; the group halted in their tracks as a mortifyingly hair-raising sight greeted them. Laying a few hundred metres ahead across the barren land seemed to be an infinitely uncountable number of slimy creatures, hissing menacingly as they glided through one another's twisting forms, semi-dormant in wait for their master's commands. Even Tenten and Sakura who had experienced Ichi's bothersome summons before, recoiled slightly, eyes widening at the abhorrent sight; both knew fully well that their previous encounter with the resurrected villain had not seen him releasing this daunting amount of summons. Ichi's intention was clear, to stall the group's movement and take out as many shinobi as he could with this treacherous display. He had chosen the spot strategically, the ocean of snakes swimming in their own filth near the cliff ledge where the group had to vault over in order to pursue Hiruko's other lackeys, covering every possible inch across the area. If they made a detour, they would definitely be greatly delayed and the other two _Edo Tensei_ zombies would succeed in their scheme.

"Tenten... we… we may need the Bashosen after all."

The young Chunin was just about to oblige Sakura's request, but was alarmed when a clawed hand shoved her hand roughly away from her right scroll. Turning in astonishment to face Tsume's glare while the Inuzuka woman told her to conserve her chakra energy for later while barking that they had no time for a long drawn out battle here, Tenten was stunned out of her wits at the Tokubetsu Jounin's sudden insistence that she not use the fan. Had she indeed witnessed her collapsing earlier on the battlefield in front of the medical compound? The way Kiba's mother was acting, so fiercely protective, seemed to imply there was something more than met the eye, as if she was harbouring some secretive knowledge that she was privy to.

"We understand that, Tsume, but we need to create an opening for us to move ahead!" Hiashi exclaimed, sharply aware of the terror that was overtaking the trembling C as the vulnerable shinobi took in the unbelievable sight in front of him. "Tenten needs to summon some lightning to stun the creatures for a while, and we will move ahead with our plan!"

The glint in Tsume's eyes never wavered, though the woman snorted derisively after a few seconds, backing down as Kurotsuchi stepped up to support her friend's impending move. The group continued speeding ahead, taking just a minute or two to reach the sea of writhing blue before the Iwa Jounin performed some hand seals and planted her hands on the ground, sneering slightly since the rocky terrain was playing to her advantage.

"_Doton: Retsudo Tenshou_!"

Even though the audacious kunoichi's Tearing Earth Turning Palm technique was causing the ground snake-filled ground surrounding Ichi to spiral inwards on itself, the user maintained delicate control of her jutsu, not wanting to cause them all to suffer a crushing avalanche, even if she knew she could deal more damage since the technique was being used at such a rocky mountainous area. The quaking infested ground was swallowing and crushing many snakes, but it was evident that the sneering zombie was still summoning his never abating creatures to rise from below.

"_Raiton: Jibashi_!"

This time, Hiashi could see the stark astoundment on Ichi's face, the zombie clearly dumbstruck by the clear blue skies sending numerous electrifying lightning tendrils that were sending their highly charged voltage surging through his chimera beasts. Even before he could pull another move on his own to rectify Tenten's Electromagnetic Murder jutsu, his eyes were shining in continued disbelief as he saw a lion-maned giant launching his gargantuan body upwards, threatening to reach him in swift seconds as he sailed through the air currents holding an intimidating _bo_-staff with his left hand.

"Now, Kinza!"

Haruno Sakura felt the blustery wind buffeting through her short-cropped pink tresses as she continued pumping chakra to her clenched fists. She kept her eyes keenly on the violet-clad bony figure as she and her current partner soared through the electrically charged atmosphere, noticing that the increasingly larger individual was hurriedly pointing his augmented arm to fire the explosive projectiles that Tenten had warned about. With that command, the Akimichi raised his beefy right arm in mid-air and gave a mighty throw, launching the brazen kunoichi straight into the unsuspecting villain's path.

"_Okasho_!"

With her chakra enhanced strength and the blinding force that had been used to propel her, Sakura's Cherry Blossom Impact sent Ichi stumbling backwards, his snake-like appendages he had summoned instantaneously to parry the girl's vicious punch lying lifeless around him. Before Ichi's snakes could coil themselves around her legs, the intrepid youth had leapt forward again, this time together with her other comrades who had followed her attack by treading the air currents as swiftly as they could. A few _Kibaku Kunai_ was fired to keep Ichi at bay as the group flung themselves over the ledge, their tactical teamwork having worked marvellously considering the short time they had to come up with such a plan.

"You bloody bitch! When were you even able to summon lightning with that… with that… fan…"

The rabid man was convulsing in anger and disgust, raging after the girl wearing her dark brown hair in signature hair-buns, recognising her as the kunoichi who had sent him and his fellow mutated peers to their hellishly explosive demise. His mind throbbing in vexation at the memory of all those thousands of explosive-tagged kunai detonating and tearing their hardy chimera-imbued shell apart, Ichi's eyelids stretched themselves even further in staggering realisation of the identity of the ninja tool the girl was wielding to summon the lightning assault. He continued staring wide-eyed at the departing figure before his eyes softened to form a leering smirk together with his lifting thin lips. Even as he heard the approaching footsteps of the five opponents behind him, he maintained that knowing look as he veered across the horizon, whispering prophetically to himself,

"So I guess the plan is indeed working after all."


	79. Chapter 79

**Part 9: An Inheritor's Will (5)**

"I guess the second one would be that doggy bitch."

Tenten nodded at Sakura's churlish comment, noting her friend's flushed outlook at the preceding exertion, once again marvelling at how strong the medical ninja had become after being under Lady Tsunade's tutelage for the past few years. As usual, there was that twinge of regret for not having the inherent knack for performing medical _ninjutsu_ and thus not able to come under her idol's guidance and mentorship; of course when she was a much younger Genin, she had then mulishly declared to her teammates, and later pleadingly to Yuugao Uzuki, that she would one day be an ANBU warrior so that she could get orders directly from the Hokage.

What was disconcerting for her of course, was Tsume's unexpected intrusion; ever since the rest of the squad had managed to descend from the ledge and left Ichi's snake-pool in their wake, the Inuzuka had kept a tight lip as she rode her steed wordlessly forward. It was as if she knew that the younger kunoichi was perplexed and needed some answers, but was firmly evasive about her thoughts.

"We'll take point then," growled Tsume, eyes sparkling with malicious intent. "I'm sure Kuromaru and I will have lots of fun with those doggies."

"She's summoned quite a few of those this time," noted Hiashi, the veins and arteries around his white eyes all protruding strenuously. "It looks like she's getting ready to face us… they're now transferring the shinobi corpses all on the winged beast. The last time it was Shino's _Kikaichuu_ insects that drained the chakra of those dogs but now…"

"I'll stay too then," Team 7's heroine volunteered. "I won't be able to do much against the flying one, and I've fought Ni and her dogs before with Naruto and Kakashi-_sensei_."

"My _genjutsu_ should prove useful if she's summoned so many beasts to delay us," said Kurenai. "Sango-_chan _here will provide the sealing assistance."

What Tenten did not notice as she nodded in agreement with the kunoichi-squad dealing with Ni's beasts was that just before their adversaries came to view in front of a stretch filled with treacherously jagged boulders, was Tsume whispering a few hurried words to Hiashi, before the Hyuuga's jaw clenched tightly as he furrowed his brows in pure repudiation of his peer's urgent confession. Keeping his eyes locked on the chakra patterns of the young kunoichi running ahead of them, his nephew's devout request boomed resoundingly in his mind as anxiety surged its way up and caused him to gape in disbelieving wonderment.

"_Jasenshi_!"

The Spinning Snake Thorn projectiles were pelting themselves all over, driving the five-man squad to leap away in increasingly frenzied movements; even if they were successful in keeping the projectiles from detonating and blasting them away, they had to contend with Ichi's countless chimera snakes attempting to snipe at them from the ground. It appeared as if the slithering venomous creatures were actually forcing the shinobi to retreat further inland, as they continued intimidating and diverting their adversaries but not really assailing them in earnest.

"Something's not right," Yuugao's voice remained coated with grit as she turned a full somersault and landed next to Aoba. "He's not showing any intention of actually finishing us off so that he can move ahead and aid the other zombies in getting the corpses to Hiruko. It's as if his current ploy is to prevent us from getting to Tenten and the rest."

"I agree… it seems as if he's in absolutely no hurry at all," the spectacled Jounin nodded. "I just need a few more moments to prepare… I should be able to take out the snakes. Get the others to buy me some time as well if possible."

Immediately summoning several _Kage Bunshin_ clones, the ANBU female streaked away, sending her clones to divert Ichi's attention as she relayed Aoba's message to the rest. The Konoha soldier expelled a deep breath, cracking his knuckles as his mind unravelled the earlier scene whereby his younger Konoha comrades and the Iwa kunoichi had demonstrated such fervid fury in their combination attacks. His throat had gone dry and his eyes were shining in wonder behind his sunglasses especially when he witnessed Tenten's new ninja tool and its ability to summon the elements so easily. While his knowledge of the Bashosen was limited, he knew enough of the set of weapons that had been possessed by the Sage of the Six Paths to know that myth and legend preceded their exalted reputation as being the most powerful ninja tools known to mankind.

While he had not meant to eavesdrop, his proximity to Tenten as they traversed the high elements had allowed him to catch bits of the heartfelt, stirring conversation the Team Guy member with Kurenai; ever since he had been deployed by the Fifth Division to provide back up for the medical compound, he had held back from interacting much with the new mother, even avoiding eye contact with her behind his dark glasses. One of his biggest regrets in recent times was obviously the tragic demise of one of his favourite senior Jounins, Asuma Sarutobi, whom he had always held in high regard. Witnessing how Shikamaru, Ino and Chouji tearfully bade farewell to their dying mentor as he bestowed his last words to them was a memory that haunted him quite frequently the few weeks right after Asuma's death. Imagine his deep chagrin and heavy remorse when he learnt that Kurenai was bearing Asuma's flesh and blood; Aoba had kept pondering for countless sleepless nights if he could have done anything during that wretched mission of pursuing the Akatsuki Immortal Duo and prevented the death of his comrade.

The only answer he kept coming up with was that he could have done more if he was stronger.

Aoba Yamashiro raised his body upright. He was ready.

"_Yoton: Sekkaigyou no Jutsu_!"

He observed intently as the Iwa female trapped numerous slimy snakes in her jutsu, quickly restricting their movement in the congealing quicklime that was released from her mouth. A swiftly activated _Suiton_ release caused the substance to spread itself out even further and catching more of the vile creatures in its path; rendering totally motionless when the cement hardened on contact with the water release. In retaliation, Ichi was focusing firing his projectiles at the darting Jounin, but his view was blocked by the enormous Kinza who was batting away every single projectile with his twirling staff, his expertise with the hefty pole taking the form of an enthralling whirling blur as it did its job. The few projectiles that did get past his weapon blew up without much impact on the valiantly steadfast Akimichi's invulnerable, stocky form, which hardly flinched at the mildly nettlesome detonations.

He watched as Yuugao's clones stepped lightly over the hissing swarm, their feet moving so rapidly that they cleanly evaded their predators, even when more of the tentacle-like creatures emerged from the snakes' mouths in order of twos in successive continuations to capture their targets. Recognising her _Dance of the Crescent Moon_ technique as the clones all rushed at the dauntless villain assaulting from multiple fronts simultaneously, the Tokubetsu Jounin grimaced slightly as the _Edo_ zombie performed some really impressive dodging and evasive moves, keeping his resurrected body intact. Cursing inwardly at the adversary's astounding _taijutsu_ abilities, Aoba decided that it was time as he invoked his Tiger Boar Ram hand seals.

"_Cho Sanzengarasu no Jutsu_!"

The very first bird appeared out of nowhere, ruffling its sleek feathers as it was suddenly thrust into existence. Wriggling its black plumage as it flexed its impressive wings, it found itself air-borne, its sturdy legs stretched out, its sharp claws touching nothing. As it flapped itself higher, its intense red eyes did not flicker even once as it noticed the spiky-haired man in front of it. It felt its own throat gurgling as it opened its darkly ostentatious beak, cocked its head upwards and emitted a caw that pierced through the air.

The sky erupted.

As if it was trying to compete with the endless stretch of dark blue reptilian bodies on the rocky ground, the surrounding air matched Ichi's fearsome chimera summons with a blanket of black, made up of innumerable crows sounding their mayhem in varying vocalisations, their bloodcurdling, deafening cries heightening the atmosphere in surmounting degrees. The stupendous flock seemed to be just hovering over the snaking swarm, as if taunting Ichi to act, and act he did, now evidently finally taken aback by the feat that the seemingly least threatening shinobi present was pulling.

"_Soutouja_! _Dakoumou_!"

Frenetically expanding his massive network of dual-headed snakes with his Snake Steel Net technique, Ichi commanded his summons to strike out towards the Konoha male, who now had his teammates taking defensive positions in front of him. Emitting chakra from his fingertips and altering it into high frequency waves, Aoba manipulated his Super Scattering Thousands of Crows technique for a few more seconds, allowing the crows to continue cloning themselves for just that while longer.

"Go."

With that deceptively benign command, the discordant creatures took flight, scattering all over the battle arena in dazzling formations. While the bulk of the flock swooped down on their prey, viciously slashing their never-ending opponents apart with their powerful beaks and claws, the remaining crows hunted the snakes' master down; completely surrounded despite his frantic, vain attempts to shoot his attackers down with his spinning spheres, Ichi's field of vision was terribly obscured. The villainous zombie's aversion towards these scavengers was loudly vociferated through his demented shrieks and vulgar expletives as the miscreant crows pecked depravedly away at his resurrected form, tearing it apart in great chunks of dead body matter.

"Souchi! Now!"

Accompanied by the intrepid Yuugao, the rattled Suna male unrolled his cloth bale as the duo stepped over uncountable vanquished limp snake bodies easily, gripped by a mixture of terror and exhilaration, half-mystified by how Aoba's crows were making a path for them to move towards the fallen figure. Confidence mounting, the newly graduated Genin stepped forward with his ready cloth and seals, the ANBU female maintaining a vigilant stance even though the half-eaten zombie was trembling feebly in a semi-comatose state.

That was when Ichi's eyes flashed wide open.

"_Sen'ei Tajashu_!"

The swarm of enlarged chimera snakes that appeared in an instant from Ichi's augmented left arm entangled the Konoha kunoichi without warning, the Hidden Shadow Snake Hands _ninjutsu_ dispelling Yuugao's clone in a puff of smoke within a split second.

"_Soujasousai no Jutsu_!"

With his right hand, the zombie formed a one-handed seal once he grabbed the petrified Suna Chunin's own, summoning two snakes from his cloak; the chimera beasts sank their teeth hungrily into both the Edo and the soldier's wrists. Immediately recognising that this murder-suicide attack was a forbidden _kinjutsu_ technique, Souchi went white with paralysing horror even as Ichi caressed his ear with his tongue.

"In moments you will be dead, but I will be resurrected again. The others can't see us now because of all these irritating crows, and by the time they find you, you'll be dead and there'll be nobody left to seal me, pretty little boy."

In the midst of the rowdy, cacophonous racket surrounding him, a dying young man made a decision. He would never know if anything else could have been done to save his life, nor would he ever learn if the Fourth Shinobi War would be won by the Alliance. All he knew in his last acutely painful, agonising moments while the lethal poison tore his insides apart, was that he was a soldier from Sunagakure, and he had a task to accomplish. A single tear trickled down his pale cheek though he maintained eye contact with the leering demon, even as he feverishly brought his almost immobile body sickeningly closer to the despicable villain, wrapping him tightly in a one armed hug. His last movement was to gently, feebly touch the white cloth with his remaining free, trembling hand as he hoarsely mouthed his final words.

"_Nunoshibari no Jutsu_."

By the time Yuugao reached the haunting scene, it was too late. The willowy woman's eyes shimmered as she witnessed the last bit of the mysterious cloth coil its last round around Souchi's disappearing turban. Stricken, lost in the chaos of the wild throes of flapping birds and the dying embers of wriggling snakes, the ANBU female lowered her moistened gaze as she bent down and picked up the handful of protective seals left behind by the comrade she had barely known. Uttering a prayer for the fallen young man, she hesitated for no longer than a second before placing the seals on the giant roll of cloth.


	80. Chapter 80

**Part 9: An Inheritor's Will (6)**

"You're that exploding kunai bitch who killed us!"

Out for blood as soon as she set her blazing eyes on Tenten, the voluptuous, maroon-clad female cracked her whip immediately and commanded her beastly minions to attack. While the initial plan was for the kunoichi quartet to handle Ni and her beasts, it was evident that the two dozen chimera mutants were going to be formidable obstacles, before the others could even think of pursuing San on his winged beast. Already, four large and intimidating growling dog-like creatures were bounding their way across the short distance, baring glistening fangs and weirdly lengthy tongues. Sakura yelled a warning for her comrades to avoid getting hit by the two spear-like structures mounted on the back of each beast, recalling how Naruto had been badly wounded by them before.

"These jackals are capable of both close range and long range assaults! Whatever it is, remember to stick to the plan after the first round, and leave them to us! Scatter!"

The pink-haired kunoichi's last holler was in response to the approaching beasts firing their cable spear-like projectiles in unison, their oddly long, thick and furry tails swishing menacingly behind them. The eight cables stretched themselves out speedily, rustled through the early afternoon air in a buzzing drone before their spear-ends disintegrated the boulders that the dispersing shinobi were posturing on, breaking them apart in such a trigger-happy manner that Sakura's words were almost lost amidst the strepitous turbulence.

"They're…stronger," Tenten mumbled to herself as she rode the air currents. "Just like those bothersome snakes… they're distinctively more threatening than before."

Mental wheels rotating and grooving against one another, in yet another clangorous gravity-defying feat, the lithe kunoichi first released weighted chains that wrapped themselves stridently around the teetering chimera mutants, before briskly sundering the struggling creatures apart with a wave of _Kibaku Kunai_. As the remains of Ni's merged chimeric pets splattered around, the spear launchers clanging noisily as they landed, the female _Edo_ zombie was beside herself with a raging vehemence, ranting and raving from her steed.

"Tenten, Hiashi, go! Time is of essence! _Shikyaku no Jutsu_!"

With that curt reminder and quick jutsu activation, Tsume propelled herself at the enemy, her entire body enveloped in chakra as she charged forward on all fours. Her high speed movements and reflexes were that of a wild beast's, as she deftly evaded any incoming cable-spear strike. The Inuzuka snarled ferociously while dodging and leaping, as she kept her slit pupils fervidly fixed on Ni, her canine teeth and nails lengthening into more distinctive fangs and claws as she sprang ahead.

A trio of intimidatory beasts loomed boldly in her path, their bared fangs ready to draw blood. Employing the signature _Juujin taijutsu_ moves that her clan was renowned for, Tsume bulldozed her way through these meddlesome obstructions with relative ease; her instincts and reflexes greatly accelerated by the Beast Human Body Technique, the ebullient fighter displayed such great feats of physical strength, speed, agility and endurance within those fleeting moments that her adversary gaped in unquenchable petulance. With a dyspeptic shriek of "_Kuchiyose no Jutsu_!" the livid woman's fingers danced in a haphazardly specific pattern, blatantly ignoring the seven figures swiftly departing the scene.

"She's going to merge with one of her beast summons!" Sakura exclaimed loudly, slightly comforted that, while Tsume and Kuromaru were distracting Ni and her dogs, her comrades had managed to proceed with their clamant pursuit as they vanished from sight. "Sango-_chan_, stand back but be ready to seal her once we get the chance to bring her down!"

The pink-haired teen felt her heart thumping wildly as she witnessed the gruesome transformation together with her fellow kunoichi and Kuromaru. Sensing the necessity to buy a few more precious seconds for their mistress, half a dozen beasts heaved themselves forward to maintain a line of defence between her and the shinobi. In their misguided haste, they failed to notice that the group was hardly moving, until the leader of the pack noticed the haughty smirk on the black-furred _ninken's_ face and skidded to a hurried halt. Almost at once, the shinobi group threw themselves back as if in retreat.

It was too late for the six accursed beasts; the minefield of explosive-tagged kunai grenades that Tenten had strewn around amongst the rocks did its work beautifully. One by one, the explosive tags hidden in each painstakingly prepared sphere detonated, sending dull kunai blades and shrapnel exploding with blinding force and tearing the mutants asunder.

This _Koushin_ _Ranka_ Steel Wild Flower Needles move rocketed the battlefield, but even before the smoky dust and debris could settle, the Konaha shinobi were already darting towards Ni and her remaining pets.

"My babies... my dogs... That... That bitch... That weapons bitch! You bitches, I'm going to kill you all!"

Just as how Kurenai's students had described, the madly audacious woman had summoned a fearsome creature that resembled both a lion and a giant turtle, its green mane partially hidden by a large orange protective plate covering its face. Apart from two horns protruding from its head, its outer shell was filled with convoluted markings and gigantic spikes. What caused Kuromaru to bark loudly "Now that's just plain sick!" was the sight of the zombie's lower part of the body merged with the monster, with only her upper body from the waist up visible from the middle of the creature's ginormous head, hissing steam wafting from its enlarged nostrils.

The female zombie cackled hysterically as her whip lashed out at the one-eyed ninja dog, the brutal impact of the cord hitting smack into its single eye causing it to burst out of its socket in a bloody mess. Her eyes shone as two of her own dogs pounced immediately on the _ninken_ and ripped its throat out, reducing its whimpers to inaudible exhalations for just that few more seconds before it expired. The owner was of course up next, flying at her in an uncontrollable rampage. Ni retaliated by getting her steed to release frolicking flames from its open mouth, blasting the feral woman into oblivion.

She froze. It could not be this easy to annihilate a shinobi who had shown her speed and agility and taken down three of her beasts with her bare hands.

Her meticulous fingers manoeuvred over one another expertly, and Ni found the pink-haired brawler just right behind her. Invigorated that she had dispelled the _genjutsu _so efficaciously, the curvaceous woman flicked her weapon at the girl, who retreated quickly with an astonished cry, clearly aghast that the zombie had broken free from the illusion before she could even attempt an attack. With such a gnarly victory, the villainess was gloating as she lumbered forward, her turtle's hefty body portraying more strength than speed.

"I'm going to get you!" she wailed as the beast's ponderous front feet finally stomped on the enemy dog's ragged body, crushing its flesh and bones into the jagged rocks beneath. "I'm going to get you all!"

The dark-haired woman who naively wielded a lone kunai met a fiery end, a victim of her steed's hellish flame assault. The raving lunatic laughed maniacally as she bore witness to eight of her chimeric beauties taking gleeful vengeance at the wild-haired canine-like fighter, who was still struggling valiantly against the bloodied spears pinning her wrecked body down.

Facing her now was the pink-haired girl who had a visibly shaken disposition at the contemptuous loss of her comrades, mumbling incoherently as she drew her trembling, beaten body backwards. "Time to end this, little girl," Ni licked her lips as she gave her whip a taut stretch, her venomous voice singing. "Time to join your fellow bitches!"

That was when the last soldier on the field, dressed in the signature Sunagakure outfit complete with head turban, appeared from behind the girl and slit her throat with a gleaming blade.

The Edo zombie started, pupils straining in bewilderment at the jarring sight before ms she felt the tension leaving her body as reality unravelled in front of her sparkling eyes. The Suna soldier was transforming back into her White Zetsu form, her manipulation and deception no longer required. The two broke into boisterous laughter for almost a minute, revelling in their self-congratulatory throes, with the Zetsu prancing around the huge chimera monster in sheer delight.

"Master Kabuto will be so pleased that you took all these kunoichi out, Miss Ni!"

"I don't care about Kabuto, you crazy freak," the female Edo felt a wave of pleasure wash over her dead body as she bristled with pride at the wretched clone's praise. "My loyalties lie alone with my own master, Hiruko."

"Yes, yes, Master Hiruko," the naked figure bowed dutifully. "I've heard wonderful things about his capabilities! We'd better go after the rest of these disgusting bastards before they reach him then! Based on the intel I've gathered, they're going to try all ways and means to stop him!"

Ni spat in undisguised contempt as she let her whip languish loosely on the ground, her arrogance knowing no bounds. "They'll never be able to stop him! My dogs and San will reach him soon, he's just a few miles away safely hidden in the depths of the Caverns of Thunder and Lightning! San will get the bloodline bodies to him and soon we'll be able to..."

Stupefied yet again when the Zetsu started dancing riotously again, waving his hands wildly in his delirium, the zombie barked fiercely at him and demanded to know what the hell was so funny. This time, the clone's response caused her dead heart to be squeezed tightly in a vise-like grip, as he took an abrupt change in demeanour and tone when he cooed cloyingly, "Thanks for the valuable information, bitch."

"_Magen: Nijuu Kokoni __Arazu__ no Jutsu_."

The harrowing sight that greeted her when Kurenai dispelled her Demonic Illusion: Double False Surroundings technique sent her spiralling into violent convulsions; all her chimera pets were lying motionless on the ground, the fortunate ones with their mutated bodies intact, many others with theirs scattered bloodily all over the terrain. The _ninken_ was disposing of the last one with a vicious bite to its throat, ironically just like how she had been tricked in the first _genjutsu_ that it was the way Kuromaru was killed. Her haunted vision found the four female shinobi staring straight at her with determined looks, the pink-haired girl and the messy-haired canine woman wiping the blood of her beloved pets on their flak jackets, a victorious glint in their eyes. What horrified her the most was that the dark-haired beauty still meant business, for she was performing a complex set of Dog Snake Monkey Ox Tiger hand seals to activate her final move.

"_Magen: Jubaku Satsu_."

In a flash, Kurenai vanished from plain sight, disappearing in a mist-like fashion. Ni was hurling coarse expletives and commanding her steed to throw fireballs at their dispersing opponents, heart surging in frantic fear as she kept spinning her head in all directions to detect the invisible woman. Quite suddenly, she found herself robbed of her mobility, the mirage of a tree eating her colossal chimeric body from beneath entrapping her in yet another illusion. As the fast-growing tree coiled its way steadily and sturdily around her, her senses were screaming at her to fight back but she found herself completely paralysed from head to monstrous clawed paws.

That was why Hiruko's stricken female lackey and her lion-turtle steed stayed hopelessly frozen in their spot on the rocky plain when Haruno Sakura hurtled into the air.

"_Shannaro_! _Tsuutenkyaku!_"

With their last adversaries safely locked within one of Konoha's top genjutsu experts' utterly unbreakable mental hold of her Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death jutsu, the young kunoichi transferred an enormous amount of chakra into her right heel once she launched her deceptively petite form right above Ni, before performing a simple falling axe kick called the Heavenly Kick of Pain. The incredible strength sealed in Sakura's foot created a huge crater once it connected with the ground calamitously, but not before its superior force sliced Ni's upper torso from the hapless monster. Caught in her immediate strike zone, the chimera beast was killed instantly while the zombie's half incapacitated body was thrown cruelly onto the ground.

"Finally!" Tsume cheered joyously and whistled, overwhelmed by the destructive nature of Tsunade's well-trained disciple. "Sango, it's your turn!"

The Suna female's eyes twinkled in obvious excitement as she stepped forward to Ni's fallen, ravaged form, verbally expressing her amazement at the awe-inspiring feats that the Konoha shinobi had displayed. As the four Konoha individuals took a well-deserved breather, Sango removed the top bandage of her cloth bale, grinning mischievously as she brought it towards the zombie's half-body in a dramatically slow motion, winking at her comrades in commiseration.

Sakura was struck by a sudden unease, brows knitting at the strange sight that was unfolding in front of them. While she had barely spoken a complete sentence to the Suna female since they were all summoned to carry out this mission just a while ago, she had never expected such awkward behaviour from one who had kept a very low profile in the preceding hour or so. The rest of her Suna peers had responded more, making their presence known, but Sango had pretty much kept to herself ever since the squad set off from the medical compound.

"Well done, my fellow comrades!" she was now exclaiming loudly as she placed her hand on the Edo zombie's half-body and raised her head to display a starkly execrable and repulsive leer, her vocal chords expelling a vile, mysterious purr. "Well done indeed… my fellow bitches."

And with that, Sango of Sunagakure sank into the ground while waving her free hand, together with her decapitated loot.


	81. Chapter 81

**Part 9: An Inheritor's Will (7)**

The sparked upheaval of emotions was duly understandable.

"Sango… is a White Zetsu in disguise! It must be! That deceitful bastard!"

Tsume was venting her outrage by punching the air and kicking the scattered remains of their dead beastly opponents ground, allowing Sakura to understand a little better why even the brash and reckless Kiba could sound extremely fearful of his mother's temper. Kurenai, together with the dumbstruck Kuromaru, was pensively studying the exact spot where Sango had vanished for a few moments, trying to keep as placid as possible in the face of such unexpected adversity.

"She might not have been a Zetsu clone, Tsume-_chan_. The way she addressed us before she sank into the ground… it was if… it was as if she knew what illusion… what situation I had trapped Ni in… as if… she was in the _genjutsu _as well."

A chill ran down Sakura's spine even though she was still perspiring from her recent physical exertions in the sweltering afternoon sun. Team 8's mentor gave a brief description of the two illusions she had entrapped Ni in, prompting Tsume and Kuromaru to wince at the mentions of their macabre, albeit fake, multiple death scenes. She went into more vivid detail of the conversation between Ni and Sango's White Zetsu clone impersonator, therefore explaining her suspicions of the mysterious Suna having being able to actually plant herself into the Double Surroundings illusion; the way Sango had used the phrase 'fellow bitches' as she vanished was exactly the same way Kurenai had ended her second illusion, with her White Zetsu clone using the same phrase as well.

While Sakura was admiring Kurenai's quick thinking and the portrayal of why the Jounin was one of Konoha's smartest kunoichi well versed in the mystical realm of illusionary techniques, her analysis was certainly not soothing her frazzled nerves a single bit. Standing up from her squatting position, Kurenai guesstimated that the 'Sango' they knew could either be one of Kabuto's allies or _Edo Tensei_ resurrections who had studied _genjutsu_ extensively enough to actually transport herself into Kurenai's illusions and observed everything from within. As she was listening to these mind-boggling possibilities, the pink-haired kunoichi felt yet another jolt of frigidity run through her as a new mind-blowing thought struck her worried mind.

"Wait! What if… what if… what if it was… Hiruko who was controlling Sango…with his mind… from where he is?"

The parting of mouths and widening of eyes indicated the substantial amount of apprehension running through the others, but before they could respond, the severe intonation of an ANBU-trained female travelled to their ears.

"Well if that's true, then Tenten and the others are definitely walking into a trap set by him. And based on what we had gone through just now, we wouldn't say that's not a possibility at all."

The sombre expressions and reduction in number of the first team made Tsume imprecate inflammatory curses of "Yet another Suna traitor!" before Kinza stoically rebutted with a "That boy was a true hero" as he displayed the bale of white cloth containing both Ichi and Souchi within. Sakura's heart sank as Yuugao revealed the tragic outcome of their battle, with a guilt-ridden Aoba ruefully bewailing how he should have ensured Ichi's complete incapacitation before urging the young Suna Chunin to seal him. Kurotsuchi, after admiring the dead beasts' remains with a mixture of thrill and revulsion, patted the Tokubetsu Jounin's back, comforting him that the young man did what he knew he had to do at that critical point; if not Ichi would probably have already been resurrected again and their problems would have been greatly intensified.

"Souchi… he died… courageously… as a hero, and … and we mustn't let his sacrifice go to waste."

After a few seconds of heavy, awkward silence, Yuugao shared her observations of how Ichi seemed to have been deliberately delaying the battle, content to simply hold the team back without any fervour to finish the fight in earnest before Aoba pulled off his greatly aggrandised Scattering Thousand Crows jutsu. Noting immediately that this analysis differed vastly from their own aggressively bellicose experience with Ni, Kurenai conjectured that the first villain could have come to some form of realisation and thus concluded that it would benefit his own team if he managed to prevent the shinobi's first group from providing back-up support for the rest.

"Tenten!"

Sakura's timorous exclamation of her friend's name was filled with much distress, her mind racing furiously as it attempted to piece the abstruse jigsaw pieces together. Stammering while she hunched her shoulders, the young medical nin explained to her esoteric audience her analysis, recalling that before Tenten and the rest vaulted over the ledge, only a few of them had attacked Ichi.

"Kurotsuchi and Kinza remained behind to battle him, so it can't be them that he was focusing on. That leaves Tenten and I… and… I only gave him one punch… Tenten was the one who… who used the Bashosen to summon the lightning on his snakes. When Tenten faced Ni, she only used her chains, _Kibaku Kunai_ and _Bakusaidama_ to take out some of her beasts. I'm not certain… where does this Sango fit in all this… though she can now be used to merge with San and form that gigantic chimera monster that we'd fought before."

At once, Tsume's eyes widened before she grabbed her head and pulled her own hair agitatedly. "I told her not to use the fan! Now she's made herself a target again!"

"Wait, hang on… So what you're saying, Sakura, is that Hiruko… planned all this to get Tenten and the Bashosen? It doesn't make sense to go through all this trouble!"

"That could be a possibility," Kurenai answered Kurotsuchi's flabbergasted query laced with renewed anxiety. "If Sakura is right, someone, perhaps not even Hiruko, could be targeting Tenten and the ninja tool."

That was when Kuromaru, who had been having his wriggling nose in his air for a while, interrupted the humans' deeply provoking conversation with a bark. "There's no time to waste, no matter what's going on. I've picked up their scent… we'd better get moving and get to them before anything else untoward happens!"

"Wait, not before Tsume answers a question first," Yuugao spoke again, her tone firm and earnest. "You've been acting strangely, especially when it comes to Tenten using the Bashosen. Tell us what you know… especially when her safety is at stake."

The Inuzuka woman's feral look softened so much that even Kuromaru seemed slightly taken aback; nevertheless, the _ninken_ brought his large body close to his partner and nudged her warmly in support. She blinked a few times and heaved a heavy sigh before she finally confessed what Shikaku Naru had forewarned her about when he contacted her earlier when he activated the Fifth Division troops to the medical compound as reinforcements.

"I'm supposed to keep this a secret for now and… and just observe for the time being… but… I've already told Hiashi before we got separated. Shikaku said that it's… it's possible… someone back in HQ has warned him that… that the Bashosen… using the Bashosen in whatever way for a normal human … like Tenten… may be poisoning her chakra from within."


	82. Chapter 82

**Part 9: An Inheritor's Will (8)**

"It looks like the winged beast is landing!"

Sandals and boots tore across the land, picking up momentum even though their owners had already been more than expeditious in their hectic race against time. As the strangely alternating surroundings streaked past him, the extraordinary prowess of his activated _Byakugan_ was detecting unsettling movements where he had perceived his focused target to be. The kunoichi keeping frantic pace with him, meeting the older man step for step, could sense the Hyuuga recoiling slightly at his current discovery.

"Damn it! They've reached the clearing of another forest… a much less extensive one… and that zombie is placing two shinobi corpses on the few dogs he'd brought along on his beast! He means for them to take a different route from him… he's taking to the air again with the rest of the bodies…five of them… they're flying above the canopy of the forest!"

Never quite expecting the cagey Edo zombie to be coming up with such a dexterous precautionary move at this particularly crucial moment, especially when the squad was already closing in on their air-borne target, Tenten ran the information in her mind for just a few seconds before making a decision, never losing speed despite the sinking of her heart at the abrupt turn of events. "It seems like we'll have to split up into two teams then, Hiashi-_sama_! You'll have to take Ibiki, C and Yotoi with you… your team will need your _Byagukan_ to track the dogs. The rest of us will go after San! We should be able to spot him in the air, especially with Ginza around, and I'll bring him with my weapons… with the Bashosen!"

It was clear that Hiashi was deeply discomfited with the girl's astute suggestion; though it seemed to be the best solution for now, his hesitance was portrayed in the tense, unsettling silence following Tenten's words, which seemed to be blatantly, startlingly ignored. The Hyuuga's clouded face and grim demeanour incited Ibiki, still cradling C steadfastly in his exposed muscular arms, to answer in his stead, agreeing that this should be the best way to tackle this problem, at least before the rest of the original assembled squad caught up with them hopefully.

"Remember… remember to use the… the fan… only if you need to, Tenten," Hiashi finally broke free of his self-imposed mutism, knowing fully well that the commanding officer of Konoha's Torture and Interrogation Force already had more than an inkling of the afflicted thoughts in his mind; Ibiki was reputed to possess complete knowledge of human psychology, thus being a master of both physical and psychological interrogation. Of course, even if the discriminatingly perceptive Tokubetsu Jounin was absent, his own perplexing behaviour would still arouse the jitters among the others, most of all the young kunoichi whom he had great misgivings about at the moment. "Sakura… nor Shizune… they're not here to replenish your chakra if you…well… just don't use the fan unnecessarily!"

Tenten gaped for a moment before returning her senior's imperative with a curt nod, clenching her jaw as she turned her head back towards the approaching forest clearing. Though she might not be a master of human psychology like Ibiki, the teen already had a hunch that Hiashi was deeply conflicted within, and just like Tsume, must be hiding something from her. Ever since he appeared a few hours ago and helped turn the tide around for their battle with Guren and the rest of her resurrected team, he had already witnessed how Tenten was able to manipulate the Bashosen's incredible elemental abilities into the arsenal of ninja tools in her right scroll. For him to act in such a disconcerting manner about her usage of the fan was indeed a puzzle, though the kunoichi knew that she had no time to ponder about that for now.

As she leapt towards the branches and scurried up speedily to the top of the canopy, Tenten held her breath as she finally spied the monstrosity soaring its way ahead, its burden lightened. As she turned her eyes downwards, she saw Hiashi's stricken white eyes staring at her through the foliage and gave him an acknowledging smile that was as reassuring as she could muster. The two Konoha shinobi parted ways immediately after, each praying fervently that the other would succeed in tracking down their prey so that yet another catastrophic calamity could be avoided.

"Ginza, Takeshi, stay close! Ginza, don't increase your size until I bid you to… I don't want to alert San and I can still detect him by sight for now! Let's hurry!"

With an authoritative tone that seemed to be flowing through her body effortlessly, the adamantly sprightly teen hastened her way through the towering trees, bounding breezily from branch to branch, the velocity she was adopting directing her companions with some difficulty. Realising that both male shinobi could not keep up with her accelerated alacrity, she began firing kunai and shuriken that lodged themselves in the middle of tree trunks and acted as markings for them to keep up with her.

As expected since she had already spotted the beast earlier, it took less than a few minutes for Tenten to get close enough to it. Understanding that it was vital that the chimera monster be brought down before it reached Hiruko with the goods that it was carrying, she knew that it would not make sense to wait for Ginza to arrive before she acted. The longer she waited, the higher the chances were for San to discover her presence and with that thought which determined her resolution, the weapons mistress released the Bashosen for the umpteenth time that morning, still paying heed to Hiashi's words by telling herself that she would only summon a small whirlwind this time.

"_Tsumuji Otoshi_!"

With simple wave of the delicate frond from the top of the tallest tree in the vicinity, Tenten summoned an aggressive gust of wind energy that whirled its way towards her target found at least a hundred metres away in the air. Once it was trapped in the blustery vortex, the young kunoichi, even as she was scaling the canopy, used the fan to control its movement, slamming the colossal beast and its riders to the ground, the impact of the cutting wind from the Tornado Drop move and the crashing creature causing several trees to split in the middle in a boisterous riot.

"Tenten! Wait for me!"

Ginza's excited yell reaching her eardrums even as she was racing ahead caused her confidence to mount; the intrepid girl's eyes shone as she took in the scene at the crash site. In the middle of bifurcated trunks and triturated leaves and branches lay the twitching, heaving form of the chimera beast; it was evident that some of the pilfered bodies were crushed beneath its massive body as others lay scattered around the area, and Tenten felt anger rising within her even as her keen eyes scoured for San's presence, hoping that if the resurrected zombie was already incapacitated, half their problems would vanish and Takeshi would be able to accomplish his sealing duty once he got here.

"You… you little wench… what… what did you do…"

A hoarse voice trembled as a shadowy figure came into view, his resemblance to Ichi stunning Tenten a little. Except for the fact that he had three marks on his impossibly wide forehead instead of Ichi's single one, his bang flopped to his right side, and his cloak was worn on the left side of his shoulder, San's appearance was an uncanny duplicate of the villain that Tenten had encountered both when he was alive and dead. His body racking as he coughed violently, the bored holes in various parts of his torso and cleaved off right arm were already being regenerated, ash and dust swirling mystically around the reincarnated being. As Ginza came up behind her, alone and without Takeshi, the young Chunin touched the scroll in the left holster, intending to summon a few weighted chains to tie the dazed zombie for the time being.

"Ah ah ah! I wouldn't do that if I were you, little bitch."

Tenten felt her blood curdling as she spun around together with an equally staggered Ginza, recognising the venomous voice almost immediately. True enough, to her vexation and dismay, the voluptuous form of Ni appeared, the two purple stripes on her left cheek and intricately curled and spiralled long brown hair astonishingly intact… unspoiled. Apart from the four growling chimera beast summons that were keeping close to her, another figure was present. The Konoha duo held their breaths as the diminutive Sango flashed a winning grin at them, greeting them in an effervescent manner that was totally missing at their initial meeting.

"You … you bloody traitor! What're you doing? Where are the rest of your team?!"

The Sunagakure female responded to Ginza's frenzied roar and raised cudgel with a farcical pout, shrugging her bony shoulders in an exaggerated fashion before she shot an utterly vile look at them, announcing gravely, "Why, they're all dead of course… all torn apart... did you really believe they even stood a chance against these beautiful beasts… these splendid chimera creations?"

With her right hand still wielding the Bashosen, Tenten reached her left hand out to Ginza and gripped his bicep, warning him not to falter; even as her heart was pumping harder than ever in fear and trepidation, her throbbing mind was warning her to keep calm despite the repulsive dread within that was threatening to make her hurl. Her eyes were studying how extraordinarily quickly San's body was regenerating – he was already admiring the pasty new arm that had reformed – and how Ni was strangely quiet even as she was smirking at them.

It almost seemed as if this Sango was currently in charge of the situation.

"Even… even if that's true," she found herself swallowing the lump in her throat as she voiced those harrowing, unbelievable words, "even if you really killed… our comrades, how did you get here so quickly? Something's not right! And what're you doing… are you a White Zetsu clone in disguise?"

The annoying Suna shinobi went into yet another cackling spree, snidely snorting at the 'preposterous idea'. She admitted that she possessed the power to traverse the earth from below, thus the ability to reach their current setting so efficiently; what made her revelation even more haunting was the announcement of her 'partner' now dealing with the duo's own Sunagakure comrade.

"Right now, he's probably trapped your precious sealer in his _Kori Shinchū no Jutsu_ and causing that stupid man to walk continuously in circles!"

"_Kori Shinchū no Jutsu_? The Sly Mind Affect technique? You… you're not a Suna nin! You're an Amegakure nin in disguise!"

Tenten raised the fan as Ginza's proclamations dizzied her head further. Were these new _Edo Tensei_ resurrections sent by Kabuto to aid Hiruko's team to help in his full resurrection? Her knowledge of the Hidden Rain Village was paltry, although she did have a vague impression of several Amegakure Genin who had been at Konoha a few years ago for the Chunin exams. As if acceding to her mind's fervent request for answers, 'Sango' dropped her disguise in a puff of smoke, and in her vacated spot stood a youth in a yellow jumpsuit that Tenten recognised immediately. What affirmed her fears even further was the Amegakure forehead protector that covered his whole head, the sash around his face with eyeholes cut out and the rebreather device he had in his mouth.

And what made matters infinitely worse, was the stark realisation that this shinobi was definitely not an _Edo Tensei_ resurrection.

"Hello, dear Tenten," Oboro's eyes gleamed maniacally as he brushed his sleeved hand through his spiky black hair. "I'll take the Bashosen now, if you please."


	83. Chapter 83

**Part 9: An Inheritor's Will (9)**

"Tenten… is Tenten going to die from using the Bashosen?"

Hiashi Hyuuga felt gravity abruptly exerting an even greater force on his body, his footsteps getting heavier as he plodded along the humid, musty forest. What was pummelling his senses further was the debilitated voice behind those nerve-wrecking words; already half-expecting Ibiki to be the one making queries after they separated from Tenten's team, he felt a genuine rush of aversion course through his being when it was the weak and tormented Kumogakure ninja who had made such a haunting statement.

"I'm sorry… I may not know… know enough about the fan… but our history books… we… I… have a vague… vague impression of what I'd studied. Using the Bashosen… using any of the legendary tools… there could be adverse effects… though…no one knows… for sure…"

Even in his current hazy befuddlement, C was lucid enough to convey information that had been eating away at Hiashi's core ever since Tsume gave him the alarming news she had received from Shikaku. He gritted his teeth in his bid to control the frustration surging within, biting his lower lip in order not to lash out at the addled blonde for not issuing such an essential warning earlier.

After all, why should a young Jounin like C be berated, if his own fellow Konoha shinobi, the current Jounin commander and right-hand man strategist to the Fifth Hokage for the Fourth Shinobi War, had made the poignantly explicit yet thoroughly brutal statement that they might have to do whatever it was necessary to win the battle, which now included allowing the young and vivacious kunoichi to continue wielding the Bashosen, despite the potentially virulent, deadly repercussions she might have to face?

"Hiashi… something else has come up. I believe we have company."

Lost in his train of intersecting thoughts and keeping his Byakugan solely fixed on the two fleeing chimera beasts which must have picked up the scents of their pursuers, Hiashi was taken aback by Ibiki's proclamation. Quickly expanding the scope of his_ dojutsu_, he immediately discovered a lurking figure behind some bushes just about a hundred metres ahead, followed by another standing in front of a bleak, tenebrous entrance that led into some underground caverns – an entrance that Ni's chimeric beasts had just bolted into with their loads. Reporting his findings to his comrades, Hiashi found his heart in his throat yet again when he noticed the current dire situation the other team was stuck in.

"Tenten and Ginza… they're being waylaid as well! They're fighting… San… Ni and her dogs… and some other shinobi! The others are on their way… but they won't reach us until at least twenty to thirty minutes later! We must… we must return and help Tenten! She can't afford to use the Bashosen without having her chakra drained… without harming herself even more!"

"We'll have to do what we've come to do, Hiashi-san!" Ibiki's severe bellow matched his fellow Konoha shinobi's frenzied tone. "I'll stay and deal with our first obstacle and take him out as quickly as possible, you'll have to buy time for C and Yotoi to delve into the caverns and look for Hiruko! We have no time! Tenten and Ginza will be able to fend for themselves before the others arrive! I know you're worried for your nephew's girlfriend, but you have to believe in her! Do you believe in Tenten, Hiashi-_san_?"

Startled that Ibiki could read his harried thoughts so accurately, the Konoha male shinobi furrowed his brows, his white eyes burning with furious intent. Giving the affirmative, together with his comrades, the head of the Hyuuga clan propelled himself forward as he transferred chakra into his palms in preparation for the impending clash, muttering to himself, "I do believe in you, Tenten. For Neji's sake… for your own sake… please… be safe!"

"This… this is the same tree! I've been… I've been running around in circles…"

Recognising that he was looking at the exact same marking left by the Konoha weapons specialist for the fourth time, Takeshi Shiro slowed his steps, cursing himself again for losing sight of the towering Ginza in the middle of a turning. Holding his cloth bale close by, the Sunagakure shinobi raised his katana, comprehending that he was trapped in someone's technique. He willed himself to stay calm, his uncle's austere voice booming in his head to remain alert of his surroundings; ever since he was young, he had undergone rigorous training under his uncle's guidance. Even though he had scaled the ranks in Sunagakure and was now in the advisory council, he still took time to have regular training sessions with his nephew.

"_Oboro Bunshin no Jutsu_!"

Quite suddenly, Takeshi found himself facing a dozen clones of the same figure, a mysterious male who had his face mostly obscured - a forehead protector covered his whole head where his long, spiky brown hair protruded from, a sash obstructed his eyes completely and a rebreather took the position of his mouth. It was the signature yellow jumpsuit, stitched up in the middle, that the Suna Chunin distinguished his attacker to be from the Hidden Rain Village; his first Chunin Selection Exams back in Konoha had introduced him to the miscreant Team Oboro that he and his mates had lost to in the second phase back in the Forest of Death, overwhelmed by the trio's wide range of techniques.

Recalling that this Hazy Clone technique would most probably be followed by another move, Takeshi used his katana to hack at the clones, effectively only brushing his blade through thin air. He knew that the adversary intended to make use of this illusion of clones and ensuing chaos to send his opponent spiralling into a state of delirium, making use of this distraction to attack from his blind spot while his attention was drawn to the fake clones. Keeping his entire body taut with tension, Takeshi kept his senses at vigilant as possible, all the while pretending to appear hot and bothered, ejaculating overwrought cries as he slashed empty air frantically.

The time to strike was now, and the Suna young man knew that for a fact.

The kunai appeared from below ground, and Takeshi's enhanced senses allowed him to spin around and parry the dull blade with his own. He saw his assailant grimace, his brows evidently furrowing beneath the sash wound tightly around his eyes. The Suna leapt back in retaliation and summoned his Binding Cloth to lash out at the Amegakure ninja, but the latter was agile enough to burrow himself back into the earth before the ninja tool could touch him.

"Very good, Suna bastard," Takeshi braced himself again as the clones all started laughing aloud all at the same time. His mind raced as he tried to recall if the clones were able to communicate verbally all those years ago. Activating his _Nunogakure no Jutsu_, his Binding Cloth unfurled around protectively around his entire body, defending him from any unexpected attacks. "Very clever indeed... Blocking yourself from view... But you have no where to run when you're trapped in my illusionary jutsu, my dear Suna boy."

"I wasn't intending to run, Kagari of Amegakure. _Kaze no Yaiba_!"

The Binding Cloth rolled itself back into its original bale, revealing a turbaned male young shinobi, the two distinct red marks on his face glistening with hearty exertion. His Blades of Wind, almost invisible to the naked eye, were ready. Sniggering as he faced the negligible clones, he wore a grim expression of unwavering fortitude, he addressed his opponent boldly, his clenched fists beholding the A-rank technique passed down to him by his highly respected and beloved relative.

"All right, Uncle Baki, your nephew is ready to put what he's learnt to good use."


	84. Chapter 84

**Part 9: An Inheritor's Will (10)**

"Courage, Ginza... Courage for our friends."

With that heartfelt whisper, Tenten expelled a grievous war cry that expressed the turmoil she was feeling within, the possible tragic demise of so many of her comrades threatening to overpower her waning optimism; having sealed the Bashosen expeditiously once Oboro made his nefarious intention known, the Konoha kunoichi fired various projectiles at the scattering villains, buying time for Ginza to activate his _Baika no Jutsu_.

"_Futon: Kaiten Fuma Shuriken_!"

As the bladed weapons were infused by wind-natured chakra by the legendary Banana Leaf Fan, they were spinning so speedily that San's gigantic chimera bird and bat-like creature had not even managed to get air-borne yet before its wings were unceremoniously sliced off, its deafening screeches causing the forest inhabitants to scamper away in fright. Startled that even in the face of adversity the girl was still being so audacious, the trio of villains scurried into action, with the petrified male Edo running to the beast and shrieking in the same intonation as his flying pet flapped its decapitated wings to no avail.

"Let me help you get rid of your misery!"

With his hefty hand, the enlarged Akimichi pounded the squeaking chimera beast one last time, before lifting its badly pulverized body and with a mighty roar, flung it out of sight, effectively thrashing the zombies' plans of using it as a mode of transportation and carrier of the Kekkei Genkai bodies to their master. San was livid with horror and grief; it was only with Ni's quick wit that saw her dog leaping at him and took its place of being Ginza's next victim.

"You... You bloody Konoha cur! We.. We will get you... We will get you for this!"

Though utterly enraged as well, Ni was still of sound enough mind to beat a hasty retreat, picking her wailing comrade and placing him behind her on her steed as it darted straight into the surrounding bushes.

"Impressive, little girl," the Amegakure ninja raised his torso, bringing his hands into position. "Now I see why Kabuto wants to get that fan away from your grasp! _Oboro Bunshin no Jutsu_!"

With a quick Dog Tiger hand seal, the yellow-clad shinobi summoned two dozen clones, which appeared in a puff of smoke around their master. Bursting forward at the girl who kept her steely gaze towards their direction, the clones rushed towards her in a helter-skelter manner, in a bid to provide a brief distraction from Oboro as he attempted to carry out more hand seals. Before he could even invoke his Sly Mind Affect Technique, he found a dozen almost invisible senbon piercing deep into each of his palms. Almost at once, he found that his hands were not obeying his mind, as if the needles had been imbued with freezing properties. Aghast, the Amegakure youth tried to hide himself beneath his clones, but the ardent teen girl kept her eyes fixed on him, weaving through his intangible summons with two Chinese-style swords crackling with blue lightning energy so quickly that he knew she would get him in seconds. His eyes flashed wide open, his pupils dilated, and quite abruptly, evidently with a mental command, a few of the clones closest to him started throwing corporeal blows at his assailant.

"You're not the only one who's had an upgrade in her techniques, Konoha wench!"

"Her? So you admit you're calling yourself a girl too?" Tenten taunted, parrying the erratic punches easily with her blazing swords and striking the attacking clones into oblivion, never losing sight of her target for one single moment. "Makes sense, since you've been cross-dressing as a Sunagakure kunoichi the whole morning! And frankly speaking, not a very attractive one!"

Brimming with outright contempt, Oboro tried shaking his stiffened hands into life but to no avail. Another three seconds was all it took for the female Chunin to stand impertinently between him and his clones, with the edge of a gleaming blade a mere inch from his rebreather. The male shinobi's eyes softened momentarily in defeat before within two seconds, sparkled back to life again.

"Looks like I'll be granted a reprieve after all… seems like I've bought enough time for my dear friends, bitch."

"_Kimera no Jutsu_!"

An ear-splitting sonic boom tore through the airwaves, its impact forcing Tenten and Ginza to leap back several metres as they tried to cover their tormented eardrums. When she raised her head again, she found herself staring ahead at the same gigantic chimera beast that she had annihilated with her explosive-tagged kunai months ago, this time without bearing Ichi's snakes as its tails. Horrified that she had fallen for Oboro's deceptive diversion and allowed Ni and San to have the time to merge, she turned her face only to find that a distance away, Oboro's clones had helped him get atop one of Ni's dogs, together with two shinobi corpses slumped over its elongated furry body. Turning back to face her, the wearisome, impudent youth gave her a wink before commanding his steed to head deeper into the forest.

"Tenten! You have to go after him!" the wide-eyed Ginza cried out as he raised his staff and faced the chimera monstrosity, exasperated that the battle had gone against them in the blink of an eye. "We can't let him get those bodies to Hiruko, and you're faster than me, especially in such a terrain!"

Senses reeling, the girl felt as if this was a replay of an earlier battle scene where another Akimichi male shinobi had made the same request for her to abandon him in the middle of battle. She could feel the intense heat from the steam emanating from the nostrils underneath the horned- mask covering its lion face, remembering that the potency of the merged beast's abilities was now greatly accentuated, and found herself shaking her head to Ginza's words.

"Courage, Tenten! Remember what you told me! Courage for our friends! Now go!"

The weapons specialist shut her eyelids for one second before bounding a few metres ahead and launching herself into the heated air, much to the fretful chagrin of her comrade. With a wretched cry of frustration as she recalled Shikamaru's request back when the Konoha gang first faced the monster, Tenten unleashed a dozen clangorous lightning-imbued Demon-Subduing weighted chains that wrapped themselves around the colossal beast. Knowing that this temporary measure would not suffice without strength in numbers even as the demonic creature's excruciating screak at being fried filled the atmosphere, she yelled for Ginza to be cautious and keep away from its explosive-tipped wings that she had managed to incapacitate for now.

"I'll be back as soon as I can, Ginza-_san_!"

Akimichi Ginza managed a wry grin before watching the female Chunin depart, heaving a half-hearted sigh of relief at the sight of the immense winged-demon twitching and struggling within its electrically charged bonds. He lowered his gaze to his own gigantic feet, deep in thought for a few moments, before reaching under his flak jacket and removing a container. His heart skipped a beat as he eyed the three different coloured pills within the vial, perspiration trickling down his forehead as he contemplated his next move. Hesitating for just one more heartbeat, Akimichi Ginza gritted his teeth and knitted his brows as memories of the day's endless battles flooded his mind, before he opened the container and freed the first green pill from its clandestine confines.

"I'm your only opponent. You don't have to look for the rest."

The reincarnated being turned his head slightly, hardly showing any reaction to the speaker's stern voice. The grey sclera of his only visible left eye depicted no emotion as he turned his body around fully in response to the man who had interrupted his patient waiting of his promised group of shinobi for him to play with, his right eye and the rest of his pale face mostly covered in bandages. Similarly, the zombie's intruder remained impassive even though he recognised the resurrected teen from a few years ago, his hunched back and the straw raincoat protruding from the snake patterned scarf around his neck immediately exposing his identity. Even if the Konoha male had any tinge of doubt, the distinctive porous metal gauntlet on the _Edo_'s right arm would confirm his suspicions immediately, way before it started manipulating the sound waves in the area to attack.

"Well then," Ibiki Morino actually smirked as he landed neatly a few feet away, "I guess it's time for us to get reacquainted, Dosu Kinuta."

"_Jouro Senbon_!"

Having erected his _Kaiten_ methodically in response to his attacker's Senbon Shower, Hiashi kept his extensive vision active, noting to his relief that Yotoi had managed to help get C to the entrance of the caverns safely and both were safe from the hail of chakra-controlled needles that were flying over a substantially wide area in all directions. He could tell that the innumerable senbon were being fired from the umbrella that was hovering and spinning madly in the air, the poisoned needles piercing deep into the foliage and ground around.

"Well, well, well… if it isn't the renowned Hiashi-_sama_ of the Hyuuga clan," chuckled the Edo zombie as his ninja tool flew back to his hand.

Even before Hiashi powered down, the blue chakra energy around him dissipating as he de-activated his omnipotent shield of defence that had sent his attacker's needles ricocheting all over, he already recognised the young man who had committed treason, defected from Konoha as a missing-nin and become a Jounin in Amegakure, before he was ultimately defeated and sent plummeting to his watery death by Uzumaki Naruto's Rasengan.

"Heck, I was hoping to kill Ibiki Morino instead," Aoi Rokushou lamented as he withdrew his second ninja tool, the legendary _Raijin no Ken_ - Sword of the Thunder God - that had once belonged to the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju. "But I guess it's an honour to take out the head of one of Konoha's most powerful clans too."


	85. Chapter 85

**Part 9: An Inheritor's Will (11)**

"We… we're in the Caverns of Thunder and Lightning…"

The velvety darkness seemed to envelope him in a never-ending fortress; his breathing slowed as he tried to take in more of the stale, humid air and he could hear a soft dripping noise as dew slid of the rocks. Slightly disoriented as his eyes adjusted to the vast blanket of black, he heard the steady echo of water dripping of the jagged roof is if it was occurring from him for miles. Spires of rock hung from the ceiling and stood erect upon the floor, warning intruders of the peril within. Feeling as if he was venturing deeper and deeper into the mouth of a terrifying creature, he imagined that he could almost hear the beastly caverns breathing in empty hollowness.

"This place gives me the creeps…"

Yotoi's hushed whisper broke the unnerving, oppressive silence, for which C was gratified as he slid slowly off the Suna's strong grasp, his sandaled feet finally touching the ground. His ragged breathing seemed to have improved somewhat, and the diminished strength in his limbs seemed to be gradually returning. He was still amenable to the sealer's arm wrapping itself round the back of his waist, himself absent-mindedly gingerly placing his own right arm over Yotoi's broad back as he gently gripped his comrade's right shoulder, apologising feebly for the cold perspiration that was soaking through his skin.

The Kumo sensor bade his companion to halt, stumbling slightly as his mind attempted to scry for his target's presence. Though it was uncertain why being this near to Hiruko was actually enabling his senses to recover instead of worsening, the skilled genjutsu warrior had no time to ask questions; the fathomless haze that had been clouding his mind was undoubtedly clearing and giving him his orientation back, and he was ready to display why he was still a force to reckon with on the battlefield.

"Should you… shouldn't… shouldn't you not do what you're doing now, C-_san_? Master Ibiki… he warned that…your life could be endangered… if that… that Edo zombie enters your mind again…"

While he could not deny that Yotoi's meekly hesitant reminder did cause a chill to jolt down his spine despite the suffocating warmth in the humid cave, the Jounin gave the Suna Chunin's taut shoulder a mild squeeze of reassurance. Now that he was in better control of both his mind and body, he was urging his weakened body to speed up recovery, his masterful, delicate control of his chakra allowing him to heal himself from within. He understood the need for caution, but his renewed vigour had also greatly accelerated his analytical abilities to return to form, and they were prompting him to believe that Hiruko meant him absolutely no harm.

"The dogs… the chimera beasts… they're…lost," he now announced with a sense of jubilation, exultant that his study of the zombie seemed to fairly accurate thus far. "They're going around in circles… as if… as if they have no idea where Hiruko is located within the depths of these caverns."

"That may really mean… he doesn't want to be found by them!" Yotoi's enthusiasm was palpable, his voice taking on the tone of a toddler receiving his first kunai for his birthday. "Then he does want to be found by us… he wants to be sealed!"

"Let's hope so," the sensor nodded as he extended his field in order to detect the Edo's chakra energy, half-tentative that it could be too overwhelmingly immense, for that would mean unrecoverable consequences if he ever got the _Kekkei Genkai_ corpses absorbed within his own body. "Come on… he may only be able to contact me if we get nearer to him since he seems to cloaking himself from those dogs now."

Of course, what C failed to share with his excitable comrade was that if his analysis was wrong, then they would both be walking straight into a deadly trap.

"_Goukuuhou_!"

Firing small bursts of invisible energy from his Blades of Wind, Takeshi Shiro flung himself back as he attempted to maintain some distance between him and Kagari's incommodious clones. Though they had initially not been able to inflict any physical harm, the Ame nin had somehow made his clones tangible; with the Suna Chunin's relentless wind assaults constantly buffeting the ground and sending earth and soil debris flying all over, Kagari must have been driven to desperation since his_ Doton: Dochuu Eigyo no Jutsu_ was not allowing him to hide underground in peace and strike his opponent sneakily from below.

"_Futon: Kazekiri no Jutsu_!"

Even before his feet touched the ground, Takeshi had already launched a much more brutal attack, manipulating the air around him and creating multiple blades of wind, tearing through a few scuttling clones and effectively erasing their existence. The remaining two wretches both threw themselves at him in a last bid to provide some leverage for their master. Coolly fending off their blows with his cutting Wind Blades, the Suna immediately sensed his target emerging shakily from underground a metre behind him and took to the air at once, slashing the throats of the hapless clones while he was spinning away in a somersault.

"_Suiton: Kokuu no Jutsu_!"

Having summoned a black mist that was now taking the form of a small cloud hovering above him, the obviously distressed Kagari was now commanding it to hurl itself towards his adversary. Unsure what this jutsu entailed but certain that he did not want to be hit by it, Takeshi sent a few wind blades towards the looming cloud as he retreated, much to the dire vexation of the Ame nin who was screaming at him to stay still.

"He's reckless and frantic… probably low on chakra," Takeshi mused as he continued darting away from the black cloud. "Good then… I'll be able to stop his genjutsu soon then…"

The Amegakure ninja jerked his head forward, his eyes shining as he saw the cloud of his Black Rain technique engulf his opponent, right in front of several clumps of bushes. He activated the second part of his jutsu immediately, with the flammable mist exploding and catching everything it had dispersed upon on fire, turning the surrounding foliage into crisp. Exhaling a heavy breath, Kagari sank to his knees, mollified that his exertions for the past minutes had not been in vain.

The white cloth that wound over his entire torso had whipped through the air so fast that the Ame youth was totally caught off guard, unable to even vocalise his hysteria until even his hands were securely tied up, only understanding that he had actually fallen for the oldest trick in the book – a shinobi's basic _Kawarimi no Jutsu _body substitution technique.

"No! Let me go… let me go! You don't understand! No!" he cried out in fervour, his rebreather muffling his words. "We… we have to get those bodies to him… so that we can… so that we can free him!"

Takeshi appeared in front of his cloth-bound prisoner, genuinely disturbed that Kagari was acting so out of sorts, in utter defiance of his earlier aggressively petulant behaviour. As his enemy's wails softened into piteous sobs, he braced himself as he removed the tear-soaked cloth enfolded over Kagari's eyes, remembering that even a kind, compassionate man like Baki was always stern and ruthless in battle, never letting his adversaries gain the upper hand if ever possible. Nevertheless, the young Suna male felt a sharp tinge of sympathy as the youth raised his eyes, the forlorn and stricken look stark evidence of his desperation, his ragged whisper a clear cry for help.

"We need to get those bodies to Hiruko… so that he will free Mubi."

The first explosion sounded, followed by the repulsive sounds of chunks of separated body parts landing all over the ground. Refusing to turn his head even though he was certain of his predator closing distance in on him, the Ame ninja gave a guttural snarl for his beastly steed to move faster, even as a second explosion sent two more carcasses flying past them.

"Know what's good for you and stop, Oboro! I'll not hesitate to send my_ Kibaku Kunai_ right at you, even if you're not an Edo!"

Frenzied mind spinning out of control as he tried to steady his weakening grasp on the chimera's bristly fur, Oboro knew he had to devise a counter measure if he wanted to remain viable in this fight. He knew, however, that he had used up most of his chakra in traversing such a huge distance so quickly with Ni, and his reserves would not allow him to take to the ground again, nor summon more clones to hold his pursuer off.

As he hollered for the umpteenth time at his steed to pick up the pace even though it was already blitzing past rustling trees and bushes at its top speed, the face of one he held dear to him flashed in his mind. A wave of nausea ran through him as he struggled to maintain his composure, but he was unsuccessful in attempting to block out the vivid image that was now firmly entrenching itself within his head. Once again, his nightmare was returning in broad daylight to send him the same old message,

_It should have been you instead, Oboro... It should have been you, and not me._

"I warned you, Oboro!"

The bloodthirsty chimera dog was thrown off its moving feet by the explosive-tagged kunai that rocked the ground, together with the few individuals it was carrying. Oboro gave a tormented scream as he sprawled across the earth with a thud, shielding his eyes as yet another wave of her meddlesome, deleterious ninja tools blew up the beast into pieces. Coughing from the resultant smoke and debris, even in his enervated state, the pigheaded ninja crawled adamantly towards the shinobi corpse closest to him. Only when a chain tied itself around him and drastically reduced his mobility did he finally lower his head in defeat, his face touching the ground despondently.

As his skin kissed the warm earth, a tear trickled from the corner of his right eye, its short path to the ground still demonstrative enough of a young man's haunting regret that he himself not been the one who was sacrificed for yet another of Kabuto Yakushi's opprobrious scheme instead.

"Well then," the bold, assertive voice of the Konoha kunoichi who had reduced him to this pathetic state echoed in his ears. "I believe it's time for some answers."


	86. Chapter 86

**Part 9: An Inheritor's Will (12)**

"_Kyoumeisen_."

As if being attacked by sudden unexplainable forces from within, the tree trunks around the vicinity started exploding one by one, sending unsuspecting, petrified woodland creatures scurrying away and taking flight. Their tiny heartbeats throbbing painfully in their ears, these animals scampered frantically ahead, but another fearsome sight awaited their shiny eyes; dozens of carcasses of their fellow forest dwellers lay around, some survivors still twitching uncontrollably as electricity coursed through their fried bodies. Blinding flashes ahead warned them of the imminent peril if they approached, yet they knew that going back would bring certain doom as well. It was as if they were trapped, within the very dwelling that they knew as home.

"Ahh… I see Dosu's having fun with his Melody Arm gauntlet," cackled the traitorous _Edo_, the resounding booms reverberating from a distance away. "I bet Ibiki's having as much fun as you are, Master Hiashi, dodging attacks like a little coward, instead of facing your opponent straight on!"

Leaping away from yet another lightning assault streaming from Aoi Rokushou's bright yellow glowing blade, the Hyuuga clan head knitted his brows as he continued looking for an opening, wanting to end this pointless scuffle as quickly as possible. While analysing his opponent's treacherous and erratic moves, he was also using his activated _Byakugan_ to keep track of his comrades' progress. What seemed slightly heartening was how the rest of the squad seemed to be safe except for the absence of two Sealing Team members, and they were making good time rushing towards the forest; both Takeshi and Tenten had taken two new yellow-clad opponents down, but what caused his heart to pound in trepidation was the sight of Ginza toppling over and crashing balefully to the ground, the chimera monster hovering near him having increased greatly in size and ferocity. Ibiki, though, seemed to be holding his own for now, grimly evading his attacker's sound wave blasts with some effort.

That was when Hiashi Hyuuga almost lost his bearings when the realisation that he could not detect C and Yotoi within the caverns hit him squarely in the face.

"Concentrate on your own doom, old man!" Aoi bellowed, annoyed that he was being ignored so blatantly. "I'm your opponent here, be respectful! _Raikyuu_!"

The Konoha shinobi somersaulted backwards as the crackling ball of electricity shot straight into the ground in his wake, speedily rolling itself across the furrowing earth before dispersing its energy all over the atmosphere in a dazzling visual display of decalescent madness. He grimaced slightly as a sizzling tendril licked his right sandal, astonished by the extent of the former Konoha ninja's abilities with the dangerously portentous sword. Even as yet another one of Dosu's sound manipulations tore through even hardier, sturdier trees in a thunderous cacophony that sounded amazingly loud even from a substantial distance away, Hiashi kept his white eyes fixed on his notoriously arrant target, his anxiety-filled resolve driving him to launch his lithe body at Aoi with his lethal palms outstretched.

"So… after all these years… after you were treated so terribly by one you served so doggedly… you're still being used like a useless pawn even after you're resurrected!"

It was evident that Ibiki's pernicious taunts were working, since the woefully silent Edo was bestially intensifying his Resonating Echo Drill assaults, raging through the arena with his eyelids so tightly stretched that his madly grey sclera appeared to be bulging out of their sockets. Using his dexterous arm movements to amplify sound waves with his gauntlet, Dosu was directing his sound manipulations with chakra to cause more damage than ever, evident by the errant chaos strewn across the area. Ibiki's feeble attacks with kunai were all blocked, the sound waves knocking the approaching blades back with inert, calm quiescence.

Taking to the air as yet another audible yet invisible force blew up the rock which he had just leveraged himself on, the Tokubetsu Jounin cursed through his clenched jaw and made a firm decision to retaliate with his own moves as soon as he could.

That was when a particularly speedy wave propelling from Dosu's gauntlet caught him in mid-air, jamming up all bodily movements with such a fearsome force that he dropped to the ground, dazed. With his first productive hit, the frenzied Edo mercilessly sent a few more successive assaults that seemed to be rending the Konoha shinobi's senses apart; Ibiki was clutching his covered head in utter agony, each sound wave that rocked his being bringing his head closer down to his knees.

"Your attempts to distract me with those… meaningless words were pathetic… you should not have underestimated me, Konoha cur," Dosu Kinuta finally spoke as he gleefully took in the supremely gratifying sight of his victim purging his stomach's contents messily, continuing to double over in pain. "Right now, I'm assailing your inner ear…directing sound waves deep into it… now you know what disorientation and vertigo feel like."

The top ANBU interrogator was totally rendered off-balance as he fell back and hit the ground, still writhing in unadulterated agony. Dosu's grey sclera gleamed as he sent more disorienting sound manipulations straight into Ibiki's brain, delighted that his resurrection was providing him with this much perverse pleasure.

"I could get used to this," he cackled beneath his bandages as he came within a metre of the trembling man. "I could get used to this all right!"

By the time he had sent more than a dozen savage kicks into the small of Ibiki's back, the Edo was howling so boisterously that he did not even notice that even in the continued state of delirium, Ibiki had removed an explosive tag and attached it to a kunai blade and was now spitting a small amount of ember from his mouth. Having lowered his guard in the midst of his celebratory throes, Dosu froze when, in astoundingly deft movements, his tormented victim's hand found his left foot and created a minor explosion near his right arm; though the sound waves pouring out of his porous gauntlet protected his arm from harm, the detonation resulting from Ibiki's Concealed Mouth Ember and the explosive-tagged kunai threw the Edo's entire torso back.

"You should not have underestimated me, Otogakure cur. _Kuchiyose: Aian Meiden_!"

The disconcerted zombie raised his arm again, but in vain; a gigantic iron _maneki neko_ – a 'beckoning cat' sculpture with its beckoning right paw raised upright – appeared beneath him from underground, split down the middle. The statue closed around its horrified target and was then wrapped up in chains; knowing that the sharp spikes lining the inside of his Iron Maiden coffin-like torture device were piercing through Dosu's entire torso and rendering him temporarily harmless, Ibiki performed more hand seals and commanded the giant iron sculpture to spit the prisoner out.

"_Kuchiyose: Gōmon Heya_."

The limp body was unceremoniously catapulted right into yet another of Ibiki's summoned torture chamber; Dosu came to to find himself in an iron cage device together with his opponent, his arms and legs chained securely. A resounding clang from above bade him to raise his eyes to find a large _Fukusuke_ statue atop the cage, which was now being tightly bound by chains screeching around the box-like structure.

"What… what are you doing? Release me… this isn't fair… this isn't fair! How… how did you even manage to break free from… from my sonic attacks?"

"I'm Ibiki Morino, Head of Konoha's Torture and Interrogation Force," the shinobi announced severely, his hands brought to his chest again, summoning garrotte wire that further constricted his prisoner's movements. "I've been through tons of physical and psychical assaults much worse than what you were dishing out, Dosu."

"You… you… were faking it? How can that be?!" the visibly irked Edo exclaimed, his ragged voice betraying the bewilderment and shock he was grappling with. "All that screaming… vomiting… the blood from your nose and ears… that was all … all fake?"

The Tokubetsu Jounin ignored his prisoner's pensive rants as he locked eyes with him. Having manipulated his adversary to this degree with his own tortured body taking such radical, puissant blows, Ibiki's next move was to subject the zombie to psychological torture and gain control over his spirit.

"I know you're not doing this willingly, Dosu. Kabuto must be putting you through this. Getting resurrected…"

"Don't you dare pretend to even know me!" Dosu snarled, dark tears brimming from within his eyelids as he continued struggling against his taut metallic bonds. "You don't know me… no one ever knows me!"

"I know you died a young ninja of only seventeen... a young man with vast potential. I know you died under Gaara's hands…but you challenged him only because you wanted to fight Sasuke Uchiha. And why so? Because you were simply Orochimaru's pawn… you and your teammates… Zaku Abumi and Kin Tsuchi… were being used by him all the time. His real aim was never to kill Sasuke, and you became disillusioned when you realised Orochirmaru even gave Sasuke a cursed seal, claiming him for his own."

"Shut up! Shut up! I said… said you don't know me! Don't… stop talking! Zaku… Kin… they meant… they mean nothing to me!"

Despite these loud, confident proclamations, Ibiki saw a visible jolt run through his victim's body when he heard how Kin and Zaku, on the other hand were betrayed, killed and used as _Edo Tensei_ sacrifices for Orochimaru to reincarnate Hashirama and Tobirama Senju during his invasion of Konoha.

"Just like your peers, you were never more than Orochimaru's pawn, to determine Sasuke Uchiha's worth, and that was killing you from inside, wasn't it? You thought you meant more to him… to Orochimaru… than Zaku and Kin, but you weren't. If you had been alive then, you would also have been sacrificed for his use."

The crestfallen, persecuted soul now hung his head limply, the aggrieving words crucifying his senses so overwhelmingly that he was reduced to nothing but piteous, barely audible sobs. Recalling that the Otogakure youth, when he was alive, had demonstrated himself to be an extremely alert and logical fighter, rarely rushing into anything before first observing and analysing any situation, Ibiki revealed that he could tell that the resurrected zombie was totally beside himself with his hurried, flustered attacks earlier, as if he was only out for blood, as if only wanting to quench his thirst for vengeance. Claiming that the youth was simply carrying out Kabuto's orders without actually believing in his cause to claim dominion over the shinobi world, the master of interrogation and manipulation distinctly reduced the severity of his tone, adopting a gentle, hushed whisper as he drew his own scarred face just inches away from the zombie.

"You died a pawn, Dosu Kinuta. Don't be used as one again, even when you're dead."

Dosu returned Ibiki's sympathetic gaze with a stricken look, before his grey sclera softened and his thin lips drew themselves back. Even as he was nodding in agreement, the reincarnated individual was already deconstructing, bits and pieces of his resurrected body losing structure and floating downwards. Before he disintegrated completely, Dosu managed to share some valuable information with his tormentor turned saviour.

"Kabuto … he wants us to locate a zombie for him… seems this Hiruko's managed to shroud himself and his minions from Kabuto's radar after being given a fresh corpse of a skilled _genjutsu_ user. And… you must get the girl Tenten to be wary… Kabuto's other instruction is to get rid of her... or at least get the Bashosen away from her. She's foiled his plans too many a time these two days with that fan."

Ibiki nodded and grunted his thanks, gently holding Dosu's shoulder before it fell apart from within his chains. With his soul freed, only a pile of debris, and the corpse of the unknown individual who was used as part of the ritual remained in the cage, his last words reverberating in the Konoha shinobi's head.

"No… thank you, Master Ibiki-_san_… thank you for freeing my soul."


	87. Chapter 87

**Part 9: An Inheritor's Will (13)**

"You sodding... pathetic piece of crap!"

This time, she drew blood. This time, the clenched fist that was hurled across the young man's left cheek caused a blunt trauma to the anterior part of the nose from the nasal septum, an area richly endowed with blood vessels. With the rupturing of the abundant delicate capillaries within the nasal mucosa, the nose hemorrhage prompted the blood to drain out of the nostrils, in this case, spurt out of them and stain the surrounding ground with dark crimson liquid. At the same time, his upper incisors scraped his lower lip savagely with the impact of the brutal punch, the deep gash drawing even more blood that contributed to the red pattern forming fastidiously across the hardened soil.

"You... you stupid bitch! I'm bleeding... I'm bleeding!" wailed the victim of the teenage girl's wrath, spitting the excess blood from his mouth. "You can't treat me like this... I'm a prisoner of war... I surrendered!"

"You did not surrender, you whiney prat!" came the churlish retort, the speaker balling her hands into fists again. "I captured you with my chains! And don't call yourself a prisoner of war, you're not fit to call yourself that! While the rest of us are fighting to save the shinobi world, here you are, helping Kabuto Yakushi out with all his freaking schemes!"

"I... We don't have a choice! We're forced to do his bidding for him!"

That particular statement drove Tenten to send a second punch that threw him to the ground, his wrecked face hitting it so hard that he could feel the roots of his teeth vibrating in their gums and the stars blinking repeatedly behind his eyelids. She grabbed him by the high collar of the hideous, yellow jumpsuit and jerked his head forward to hers.

"You went to him! You went to him to include you in his plans... So that you could fight against us... Fight against the Shinobi Allied Forces! Don't say you're forced to do his bidding! You went to him and he screwed you over instead! You gave him the chance to kill Mubi! You! You caused the death of your friend!"

Expelling a miserably dolorous squeal of anguish, the Amegakure youth yanked his own body back, unwilling to be further tormented by the girl whom he was supposed to have taken down for his master. He tried to bury his bruised, battered face in the soil, twisting his head back and forth against it as if he was intent on burrowing underground to hide the overwhelming pain and shame that was threatening to devour him from within. The Konoha kunoichi was simply using what he had confessed against him, but hearing the very same words thrown back at him in such an accusatory, ridiculing manner seemed to be escalating his remorse to insurmountable heights, to unquenchable levels.

"You let yourself become Kabuto's pawn!" witnessing Oboro's outright portrayal of such intense guilt did not spur the inflamed teen to stop ranting. "You and the other Ame nin... the one who's trapped my comrade in his jutsu now... allowed yourselves to be made use of, allowed Kabuto to pull your strings like you're his puppets!"

"We need to obey him so that he'll bring Mubi back! We have no choice!"

"Mubi is dead! You said it yourself, you idiot!" Tenten continued yelling, acting as if all this venting was doing nothing to help alleviate the immense rage she felt. "Kabuto must have gathered that your friend was the strongest _genjutsu_ user among you three, and that was why he killed Mubi... so that he could use it for yet another one of his insidious plans... so that he could empower Hiruko's by planting Mubi's corpse into his resurrected body! And now he's telling you that if you do his bidding, he will resurrect Mubi? Do you know how that ridiculous that sounds? You're being tricked again, you stupid, dumb fool!"

Having been reduced to mournful, rueful sobs, the Ame ninja was now whimpering about how he had never wanted all these to happen, how he only wanted to make a difference, to carve a name for himself in the shinobi world. He admitted to how Mubi had been totally against his plan about approaching Kabuto and becoming his generals of war. Tenten's question about why he had not stopped Oboro then was met with a hair-raising reply,

"He couldn't. I drugged him and brought him... brought Mubi and Kagari to Kabuto... He said he'd only accept me if all three members of our team went to him."

Closing his eyes and expecting another incensed strike, Oboro was instead pummeled by his captor's words, wishing that she could have substituted them with more blows.

"You will have to live with this forever. You caused Mubi's death for the sake of your own vindictive wishes. You might not have wanted it to happen, but it has happened, and you'll have to bear with this knowledge... this burden forever."

"Kill me... Please, Tenten... Please kill me now."

"No, I'm not going to let you have the easy way out. Right now, my friends are fighting for their lives because of people like you!" the Chunin raised her voice again. "Yes, the _Edo_ _Tensei_ resurrections may not have a choice in some of their actions but you... you and your other friend... You've always had a choice."

"Every single one of us fighting in this war has had to make our own choices... to fight, to run, to back our comrades up, to abandon our posts. We are all individuals fighting, even if we are an army of thousands... We each have our own voice, our own role to play. I've learnt in the past one day that I've been given a role to play in this war just like all the rest of my friends fighting out there... fighting harder than ever because of you and your friend's interference. Whether we succeed in all these countless battles... may or may not change the outcome of the war, but we won't be pawns like you have allowed yourselves to be, we won't be senseless sacrifices in this fight. We will all fight to our best abilities because we all believe that we have something to fight for."

"And you'd better get this straight," Tenten lifted Oboro's tear-stained face roughly so that she could lock eyes with him. "I was the one who found the Bashosen and for some reason or another, it has been responding to me. I will use it till my last breath if I have to, to fight Kabuto and his forces for as long as this war lasts. That is my Will of Fire for now, to fight for the greater good with the Bashosen! If that bastard... that cowardly prick wants it so badly, he can come get it on his own!"

Tenten raised her body and stood tall, burning with fervent energy, and stared at the sniveling villain, knowing that she needed to return to help Ginza face the chimera monster. Taking a few steps forward caused her to pause momentarily, as she took a closer look at the two _Kekkei_ _Genkai_ shinobi corpses lying on the ground, the bodies both broken in so many places with the high-octane chase that had occurred minutes ago. She turned to glare at a confounded Oboro before gathering the two corpses, one in a Suna outfit, the other in a Kumo's, and placing them close to the remains of the chimera dogs.

"What... What are you doing?"

"Making sure that no other person like you, _Edo_ or living... no other pawn Kabuto is using... has the chance to get these bodies to Hiruko."

With that, Tenten knelt in front of her fallen comrades, muttered a quick prayer, before returning to the gaping Ame youth. Removing her left scroll from her holster, she threw it into the air and commanded it to unravel, exposing the countless Japanese characters contained within the inner part of the scroll.

"_Bakuryuugeki_."

Oboro watched in rapt fascination, his parched throat going drier at the girl's Exploding Dragon Strike cutting through the atmosphere and hitting the group of gathered human bodies and chimera carcasses. Even as his captor lifted his heavily chained, limp body and flung him over her shoulder, he kept his stricken eyes fixed on the flaming pyre, his heart filled with immense fear for the Konoha kunoichi who was now scaling the trees once again together with her prize to return quickly to her fellow combatants.

What the horrified male could not see was the single tear trailing down his captor's cheek as she mumbled an apology to her burning dead comrades.


	88. Chapter 88

**Part 9: An Inheritor's Will (14)**

Even with the boost from the green _Hourengan_ Spinach pill, Akimichi Ginza found himself unable to handle the chimera monster on his own. Due to its ability to stay air-borne and avoid his brute strength, despite having eased the Akimichi clan's secret _Karori_ _Kontororu_ process of converting his calorie reserves to chakra with the pill, the Konoha Chunin was using up that chakra more to dodge and evade the creature's attacks. The area was already terribly scorched by its frequent flaming blasts and the explosive feathers fired by its huge wings were blowing up the ground in successive explosions.

"Curses... I must... I must try to hit it at least once with... Human Bullet Tank..." Ginza was panting heavily to himself as he shrank his gigantic body back to its original size, partially due to the necessity to stay less conspicuous, partially because of the effects of the clan's special pill wearing off. Glancing down at his current less than robust form, he knew that his chakra reserves needed to be hoisted again, though the alarm bells in his mind were warning him of the potentially perilous consequences of popping yet another pill. "At the very least... I must... I must hold the monster off... until... until the rest get the job done..."

He scurried away from yet another tempestuous elemental assault from the air; without Tenten and the Bashosen around, the Akimichi felt as if he was a sitting duck waiting to be plucked and roasted. Having already bore the brunt of two fiery hits, he knew from experience that the monster had increased the potency of its moves, and he might not be able to survive another full blast. Allowing his mind to wander as he bent his torso behind a particularly stubby trunk, he felt his nose wincing slightly as he thought of the possible demise of his comrades in the second team. While he mourned for their loss, the thought of how the three Konoha kunoichi and the_ ninken_ must have fought fiercely, fought to the best of their capabilities, to their last breaths before they fell.

That was when his contorted, the possibility of the first team's fatal defeat by Ichi and his endless swarm of chimera snakes striking his senses. And that would mean his brother Kinza might have perished as well.

In the midst of the hellish flames swathing wildly around the arena, a young Konoha Akimichi clansman furrowed his brows and removed his container again, before popping the second yellow _Karegan_ Curry pill into his mouth. Even though his mind was forewarning him of his cousin Chouji's near death experience a few years back when he had used all of the _Sanshoku no Gan'yaku_ to bring down the Otogakure ninja Jirobo, Ginza was so spurred on by the turbulent thoughts bombarding his mind that he stepped out of his hiding place and activated his _Baika_ _no_ _Jutsu_, his body burgeoning to an incredible height that closed the distance between shinobi and chimera. Raising his elongated staff, Ginza faced the hideous yet fearsome creature with a look of grim determination, unwavering in his desire to bring it crashing to the ground.

The chimera unhinged its cracking jaw and unleashed a deafening lion's roar as its red eyes shone as brightly as red-hot coals. Its opponent had risen magically to just a few paltry metres away from it, and spinning his wooden pole so ferociously that its feather missiles accelerating through the air so speedily were rendered useless ineffective; even if they did manage to detonate upon impact, the mighty giant's whirling staff was parrying each hit well enough to prevent any major damage.

"Eat my _Bo_, monster!"

With a bellow as loud as the chimera's roar, Ginza sent his weapon spinning vigorously into the air; having gained immeasurable momentum earlier by its master's relentless, forceful manipulations, the sturdy pole tore through the atmosphere towards its target. Caught off-guard by the sudden impending assault, the beast retaliated by firing a torrent of flames from the depths of its mouth. Even then, the wooden weapon continued whirling furiously until it speared through the chimera's left wing, piercing the screeching creature and causing it to drop precariously by a critical distance.

"This... this is good... I can... I can bring it down... I can destroy it..." Ginza heaved in exertion, feeling the effects of the second pill devouring his insides while at the same time, exhilarated that the monster was struggling valiantly to maintain its balance. "If... if I take the Chilli pill... the _Tongarashingan_... I should be able to... "

Another few dynamic blasts compelled the panting Chunin to leap backwards, and he found himself cradling the last red pill, now minute in comparison to his titanic form. His beady eyes glistening as the pounding in his head refused to abate, Ginza Akimichi inhaled deeply as he prepared himself for his last move of valour as the chimera now fired dozens of explosive-tipped feathers towards its now unarmed target. _Courage_ _Ginza_, Tenten's reminder was now playing repeatedly in his head. _Courage_ _for_ _our_ _friends_.

"That's my little brother you're firing at you bloody freak of nature!"

The young Akimichi felt as if his heart was close to bursting as his widening eyes first caught sight of a barrage of explosive-tagged kunai blitzing through the air, each one of them accurately hitting and detonating every fired feather missile without missing a single beat. His pallid lips stretched open weakly as simultaneously, yet another extended, thickened length of wood was discharged like a javelin, this time from somewhere behind the flying beast; the colossal creature's other wing was now harpooned as well and it was totally thrown off balance as it continued flapping both injured wings deliriously.

"Ginza! Now! _Dabaru_ _Nikudan_ _Sensa_!"

In less than three seconds, the double Human Bullet Tank attack from front and back was grinding the creature so violently that it did not even have the opportunity to release any cry of anguish. The two rotating boulders stayed in the air for a good ten seconds, crushing the rattled beast sandwiched in between two violent brothers who had found a perfect rhythm so quickly and easily, within moments of Kinza's dramatic entrance.

"Leave some fun for us, Akimichis! _Cho_ _Garoga_!"

As soon as the siblings detached themselves from their heavily traumatised, physically abused victim, before it could even plummet fully to the ground, the Konoha kunoichi and her ninken were already following their savage assault with another signature Inuzuka technique. Woman and beast transformed into a two-headed gigantic wolf-like beast expeditiously before the Human-Beast Combination Transformation: Double-Headed Wolf saw yet another rolling mass of unstoppable kinetic energy pulverising the monster repeatedly.

"_Soushoryuu_!"

With Kinza, Tsume and Kuromaru's arrival, there was little for Tenten to do as her doe-eyes lit up at the enthralling sight of the chimera's monstrous form getting devastated by such overwhelming combination attacks from her fellow Konoha shinobi. Swelling with pride as the battered beast fell thunderously to the ground, she threw her wailing prisoner callously into some bushes before performing her own unorthodox technique. Her unfurling scrolls twisting ethereally as she scaled the air currents towards the barely twitching form, she sent several waves of Kibaku Kunai that blew its body apart.

"You silly goose! You stupid little man! How could you even think of consuming all three pills?! What if we didn't arrive in time... You could have died, Ginza!"

While Tsume and Kuromaru stayed near the area where the chimera had been annihilated, waiting for Ni and San's ravaged bodies to be resurrected so that Takeshi, who had also reached the group with a harassed Kagari, could seal them with his Binding Cloth, Tenten watched in mild amusement as the older Akimichi admonished his grinning younger brother vehemently. As she tethered Kagari up with another set of her unyielding chains, her heart skipped a beat when she saw the ever stolid, stern and staid Kinza draw his startled brother into a fiercely warm embrace, crying softly, "Don't ever scare me again like this, little brother. Please, never again..."

The kunoichi turned to the two captive Ame ninja who seemed equally stunned by the heartwarming scene being displayed so openly in front of them. Her own eyes glistening with moisture as she raised her hand towards the Akimichi duo, she adopted a more benign, less austere tone as she addressed Oboro and Kagari,

"Watch and learn, you creeps. The safety of our families... our friends... our loved ones... this is what we are all fighting for. Watch, and learn."


	89. Chapter 89

**Part 9: An Inheritor's Will (15)**

"_Ikazuchi_ _no_ _Kiba_!"

It was as if the user of the legendary sword had managed to send an electrical essence to the overwrought clouds above; the Fangs of Lightning technique was creating lightning strikes that seemed to be following Aoi's commands deferentially. Hiashi felt as if each time his feet left the ground, a dazzling flash of electrical energy would hit the exact spot he had spent the last two seconds at. In this way, there were more than two dozen parched holes all over, each an indication of the precise location where the Hyuuga warrior had been.

"Will you just stay still and let me hit you?" the nettled Edo hollered, consumed by rage and exasperation. "_Raijuu_ _Hashiri_ _no_ _Jutsu_!

This time, Hiashi had to avoid getting hit by an attack not from above, but from two hounds crackling of lightning power that were connected to Aoi's Sword of the Thunder God and did not dissipate as easily upon impact even after hitting the surrounding earth and trees. Instead, they were charging towards him implacably, remaining linked to the blazing blade with this Lightning Running Beast technique.

"Is this the best you can do, Hiashi Hyuuga? Run and run and run, like my lightning dogs that are chasing you?" the resurrected Edo snarled, his grey sclera flashing with delirium, remaining as vindictive and incongruous as he was when he was alive. "Like the Konoha dog you are! You bring shame to your village, Hiashi! You hear that? Shame!"

The fact that the earlier obstreperous commotions from Ibiki's battle with Dosu had stopped had prompted the quick-thinking Hyuuga to put on an act to trick the deranged zombie, so that he could allow his comrade to make his way to the caverns unnoticed. Putting on a face of faked consternation and expelling Ibiki's name in a hushed tone as if his activated _Byagukan_ had witnessed his death, had convinced Aoi that their fellow Konoha shinobi had fallen at Dosu's hands. It was a successful deception that apparently was having an innervating effect, goading Aoi to increase the intensity of his relentless assaults so that he could partake in the joy of victory like his fellow Edo.

"Just like how Dosu must have torn that moronic Morino apart, I'll relieve you of the sufferings of the living, Hiashi! It'll just take one hit, believe me, and that will elevate you from life's miseries!"

"Your life was miserable because of your own greed for power, Aoi Rokushou!" he finally responded to Aoi's taunts, knowing that his battle with the traitor would not last long for reasons only he knew. "Your inability to accept what life gave you... whatever joys you could derive from living the way of the ninja... was what brought you to your end at the hands of two young Genins!"

The astringent tone Hiashi was using seemed to have cut through Aoi's dead heart somehow, for he actually lowered his sword acridly as if in deference to a senior's lecture. The Hyuuga was not letting up, adopting a ramrod posture as he continued berating Aoi's numerous perfidious acts of duplicity - from making use of his position as an instructor in Konoha to manipulate his hare-footed student Idate Morino, Ibiki's brother, to pilfer the legendary lightning chakra sword and a secret scroll... to defecting from Konoha together with a guilt-ridden Idate to Amegakure... to even killing off two ANBU members when they hunted him down together with Ibiki. He had of course also subjected Ibiki to unfathomable tortures simply to get him to read the stolen secret scroll and years later, bitter about how a young, remorseful Idate had betrayed him, almost poisoned him to death with his senbons, if not for Team 7's Naruto and Sasuke's combined abilities that defeated the spiteful and scornful man.

"And you think reminding me of my past ... misdeeds if you will... will make me feel guilty?" the Edo smirked, putting an end to Hiashi's austere speech, as he raised the sword again. "You think telling me all these will move me to tears, will make me feel sorry for what I've done? I'm dead! I'm only going to enjoy killing you and feel immense pleasure from getting rid of an insufferably naggy pain in the neck!"

"You've got me wrong, Aoi. I was only buying time, for my comrades to arrive and take over the battle."

Just as Aoi's eyes jolted wider as he spun around to catch several figures approaching him from behind, the head of the Hyuuga clan shifted his feet and, like a pouncing feline, burst forward in unbelievable speed at the distracted zombie. With his near 360-degree field of vision, he was envisioning an Eight Trigrams circle with his opponent within it.

"_Hakke_ _Rokujūyon_ _Shō_!"

Caught within Hiashi's field of divination, Aoi only managed to deftly lift his weapon to parry his attacker's increasingly aggressive blows; displaying the clan's _Jyuuken_ fighting style with much aplomb, the Hyuuga delivered six sets of consecutive hits, the last set requiring a particularly strong step forward before he launched into the exponentially increasingly fast and strong strikes of the sixth set. With surprising alacrity, Aoi barely floundered as he seemed to be able to block every single one of Hiashi's advance with his sword.

"You must really be getting rusty, old man!" the _Edo_ jeered as he launched his agile body safely back at the last explosive blow, albeit staggering slightly upon landing. "You didn't hit me a single time... you did not hit a single one of my _tenkutsu_ points! Your Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms have turned into a feckless mess!"

"Tenten, Yuugao, Sakura! Take point!" Hiashi commanded the three Konoha kunoichi spectators, smiling as he turned his twinkling white eyes towards the adamantly obstinate zombie. "Remember what Naruto and Sasuke did, Sakura? I've weakened the central part of his blade enough with my Gentle Fist strikes! The rest of you... stand by for support... Aoba, Kurenai, Tsume, Kuromaru... with me! We have to look for C and Yotoi together with Ibiki in the caverns!"

Aoi's brows were knitted in outright irascibility as his ears absorbed the ramming truth of Hiashi's plan and the fact that he had been deceived into believing Ibiki's demise. He watched wide-eyed, gaping in utter stupefaction as he saw his opponent depart with his fellow Konoha ninja while the rest surrounded him, ready to fight. An unquenchable surge of hatred for his former village was aroused within him again, as the cowering pink-haired girl he recognised from his last battle now coolly cracked her fingers in preparation and warned her comrades about not getting touched by the electrical energy beholden by the _Raijin_ _no_ _Ken_ that Kabuto Yakushi had somehow managed to resurrect for him as well. Dazed that Hiashi actually had knowledge of how to counter his ninja tool, he inwardly marveled at how prepared and organised his former Konoha brethren were for the war, as if senior members like Hiashi had studied potential, expected Edo Tensei resurrections of dead shinobi from their village. That moment of wonder was not sufficient to stem his rising wrath though; holding the gaze of the three kunoichi, he knew that the time for words had ended.

"Seems like that bloody coward needs useless females like you to finish what's he started... I'll play with you a bit then, Konoha wenches! _Raimu_ _Raito_!"

Immediately having to retreat to a safe distance away, Kinza and Ginza watched in fascination as they recognised the powerful and destructive Limelight jutsu that was supposed to require four _Raiton_ users. Yet, this single _Edo_ zombie was able to command the technique so easily with his fearsome ninja tool. Four connecting streams of lightning chakra were shot high up into the air, covering an extensive target area, before they created a massive ball of lightning that was now hurtling its way to the forested area and incinerating everything in its path upon its devastating impact.

"That zombie's mad! We have to help them!" Takeshi exclaimed, increasing the volume of his strong baritone in order to be heard over the rambunctious elemental furore. "We can't just let them three handle him alone!"

"Are you crazy?" bemoaned Kagari, tightly bound in chains. "We... we're your prisoners here... You can't get us killed by that crazy lunatic!"

"If he fries you, you'd totally deserve it Ame cur! After all, weren't you two working with Kabuto and _Edos_ like him before you got caught?" Kurotsuchi spat as she knocked the youths' heads, including Oboro who was observing his own subdued silence. "Takeshi's right... We'll both go provide some back up. Kinza, you take charge here... Your brother's still weak too. If the lightning attacks get too close for comfort, find your way to the caverns first. That brave old Hyuuga man may need more help if ... if Hiruko gets fully resurrected somehow."

"_Purazuma_ _Borou_!"

After sending the trio of Konoha kunoichi scuttling away from his massive jutsu, Aoi was now adopting a more defensive stance, knowing that he could be easily outnumbered. Since he also needed to prevent his sword from getting attacked like how Hiashi had, he erected an electrically charged barrier shell around his body, keeping a vigilant lookout for his enemies. Maneuvering his sword within the barrier, he could still discharge waves of electrical energy in the direction of his choice. Cackling away crazily as he kept sending waves of energy at the constantly approaching and scattering kunoichi, who were all displaying credible feats of speed and agility, the raving Edo was gloating that they would never get close enough to attack him in his protective dome but he could easily take them out from within after they were worn out from their tiresome exertions.

Landing neatly on all fours as she flipped dexterously away from yet another trail of lightning, Tenten saw that two other comrades had joined the party, at the moment veiled behind some tall bush clumps. Exchanging a brief commiserating look of less than two seconds was more than enough for a plan to be conceived, and the Konoha weapons specialist unfurled her scrolls once again, firing wave after wave of explosive-tagged kunai that detonated as soon as they reached the barrier.

"You think that will do any harm to me?" Aoi was once again relishing in his triumph. "Look at me, bitch! Those useless kunai you keep spamming... You think you can take me out like this? They used to say with my abilities, I'd never be able to realise the full potential of Tobimara Senju's legacy... look at what I'm doing with the sword now! I'll destroy all of you with it! Every single last one!"

His vision clouded by the smoke produced by the numerous explosions outside his barrier, Aoi did not notice a young Iwa kunoichi disappear into the ground; by the time the earth right beneath him rumbled open, he was unable to react in time. Kurotsuchi shot out with her _Doton_: _Kengan_ _no_ _Jutsu_ encrusting her fists with adamantine layers of rock and sent him reeling in shock with two cutting punches across his face. Totally throwing him off balance and breaking his connection with his ninja tool, the Iwa Jounin succeeded in dispelling the barrier in mere seconds. Aware that her _Doton_ techniques were much less effective against the lightning attacks, the plucky _female_ retreated immediately after playing her part, leaping away from the staggering _Edo_.

"_Oborozukiyo_."

Yuugao and her three clones first appeared with her Hazy Moon Night technique, the trace of blurry afterimage of each of the figures rendering Aoi slightly confused as he struck out at them with his own sword. The swift female was evading each and every one of his sword thrusts so effectively that her clones were able to hit the blazing sword with strong slashes as well. Keeping Aoi constantly on his frantic toes as well were Tenten's _Kibaku_ _Kunai_ that kept blowing up the ground around him as he tried to deflect Yuugao's strikes.

"This is not fair... this is unfair!" Konoha's traitor was wailing as he tried to get his bearings, his blue-green hair all asunder by the non-stop assaults that prevented him from pulling off more powerful jutsus with the Sword of the Thunder God. "I'll kill you bitches... I'll kill you all, you disgusting bitches!"

As the ANBU female and her clones continued keeping the Edo zombie busy with her immeasurable _kenjutsu_ skills, Tenten released her own lightning-imbued katana blades that were shimmering in bright blue tendrils instead of Aoi's yellow. Sakura whispered a few sentences to her and Takeshi before she sent rock flying with yet another _Okasho_ punch to the ground, effectively creating an opening for her fellow Konoha kunoichi to attack. Aoi's stricken eyes glowered in view of Tenten's own crackling blades but by now, he was simply too bloodthirsty to bother about what this group of audacious opponents had planned. Still unable to summon offensive jutsus that would buy him some breathing space, the zombie was bellowing in unrestrained ire as he blocked, thrusted and parried, each passing minute seeing him adopt more erratic, aberrant moves.

"_Kaze_ _no_ _Yaiba_!"

After Tenten had engaged Aoi in a lengthy, electrically charged swordfight, all the while keeping Yuugao's earlier reminder of the Gate in mind and thus maintaining beautiful control of the situation, it was Takeshi's turn to attack, his invisible wind providing him with lots of leverage against lightning. Seeing him flying down towards them and unleashing a half dozen wind blades, Tenten took a backseat and vaulted over Aoi's flabbergasted figure in retreat; the totally harassed being spun around only to have to use his weapon to block Takeshi's cutting wind flurries, astonished that they even had such a formidable _Futon_ user among them. Aoi turned back to flee but was waylaid by the sword-wielding female duo, who offered him no reprieve at all by striking out at him again and pushing him back.

"_Juuha_ _Shou_!"

With his Blades of Wind, the Suna Chunin now invoked multiple slicing wind chakra waves with this Beast Tearing Palm technique, the numerous, almost invisible slashes propelling towards their target in rapid-fire, successive motions. Each wave seemed to be hitting the exact segment of the starkly diminishing blade, the same spot that Hiashi, Yuugao and Tenten had struck with their own assaults. By the time the valiant Suna brought both his wind-chakra imbued fists hailing towards the blade of concentrated lightning, it was too late for Aoi to react any further to protect his prized possession. Having been subjected to vast amounts of stress over the preceding battles, and with Takeshi's last potent hit, the sword shattered, leaving only the vajra-like hilt in the zombie's right hand.

"_Ranshinshou_!"

Before he could retaliate any further with his umbrella and senbon, Sakura now sent a forceful punch right into Aoi's ribs. The _Edo _gasped as he collapsed to the scoured ground, the single strike sending pouring electricity into his entire nervous system, severing signals and deranging his body control. He found himself no longer able to control his physical movements; if he willed his left hand to move, it would be his right leg instead... if he wanted to lift his head, he might have raised his hip. It was as if he had been given a taste of his own medicine, since with the Sword of the Thunder God at his disposal, he had been electrifying and paralysing his victims as well. This extremely high-level Body Pathway Derangement technique of medical ninjutsu was of course causing the bystanders to be totally awestruck. Slightly embarrassed as her comrades searched her face for answers, the sheepish pink-haired shinobi haltingly explained that she had transformed her own chakra and given it electrical properties, thus creating an electric field that could attack her opponent's electrical signals from the brain and corrupt his ability to control his body.

As Takeshi sealed the helplessly twitching _Edo_ with his Binding Cloth, and the rest of the cavalry readied themselves to proceed towards the caverns, Tenten stepped forward to Sakura and gazed into her eye for a fair bit before she extended her right hand to her. The flummoxed medical ninja took the older girl's hand tentatively, bewildered by this unexpected gesture.

"I... I guess somewhere deep inside me... I've always been jealous of you," Tenten started off stammering a little before her voice steadied itself and got firmer and more confident in tone. "You became my idol, Lady Tsunade's apprentice... you proved to be so proficient in medical _ninjutsu_ that you came to train under her... while my knowledge of medical skills have always been basic at best. Thus, I guess I've always felt a little resentful of how fortunate you've been to be able to get so close to one whom I've admired since ... ever since I knew I wanted to be a ninja... like ... the parents I used to believe were fine shinobi... and of course like Lady Tsunade. Perhaps it's because I've always thought that you've taken my rightful place... that I deserve to be her apprentice instead and grow to become a strong kunoichi under her tutelage."

"Today... after all that I've been through... after the past few hours of seeing you in action... after witnessing what you just pulled off on Aoi... I just want to say... I'm sorry for ever thinking this way... for thinking like a spoilt, wilful kid. You're a superb medical ninja, an outstanding kunoichi, a real leader, Sakura. No one among our group deserves a place under Lady Tsunade's guidance more than you. And I am very glad that you've got my back today and in future battles. I know I can wholly trust you with your skills and medical expertise. Thank you, my friend, for also helping me tie my hair up just now!"

Ending her heartfelt speech in such a breezy manner, the weapons mistress smiled warmly at her friend and went forward to join the rest, leaving Haruno Sakura at a loss for words. The equally intrepid kunoichi then heaved a grateful sigh at this unexpected but deeply moving exchange, furrowed her brows, and followed her comrades with clenched fists and a determined grin, ever ready to face the next challenge together with her fellow kunoichi and friend, Tenten.


	90. Chapter 90

**Part 9: An Inheritor's Will (16)**

"Tenten…"

The name that escaped the teenage boy's parched lips came out as barely a whisper, but it was a whisper that still managed to convey a sense of disbelief… urgency…and if any one of the several frazzled shinobi surrounding him possessed any form of psychic abilities, he would undoubtedly pick up an insurmountable hint of love and affection, simply based on the way those two syllables was exhaled.

"Neji-_ni san_!"

The first few minutes passed like a blur for the two Konoha teens who had had their souls unceremoniously returned to their bodies after their arduous ordeal under the hands of vengeful resurrected beings; Neji and Kiba found themselves almost suffocated by the outbursts of concern and attention from their peers and Division Two comrades. In their dazed stupor, they could only accept the indulgent offerings of fresh water and rations wordlessly, appearing to be devoid of any ability to react to the endless gushes proffered especially the females.

"Stop… Get your dogs to stop licking me, sis!" the Inuzuka Chunin finally managed to show some kind of resistance. "They're eating my face alive!"

Kiba was soon squabbling with the olive-skinned Kumo swordswoman again, after she petulantly sniggered that that would actually make an improvement to his hideous features. With the quarrelsome duo's jarring voices igniting the atmosphere yet again, Neji attempted to shut his eyes momentarily as he sought to regain his composure in vain due to Kiba and Karui's discordant voices, extracting himself from Hinata's warmth. His cousin had enveloped him in a tearful hug once he had come to, after he expelled his teammate's name for everyone present to hear.

"Neji… you called out for Tenten when you awoke," Shino's firm baritone suddenly entered his ears easily, and the Hyuuga male's white eyes widened in consternation as he took in the sight of Kiba's mouth filled with the Aburame teen's crawling insects that were rendering him utterly mute. Kiba's canine eyes were brimming with hot tears as he, totally shell-shocked by his teammate's unprecedented attack, stood frozen to the spot, doing nothing but peer diffidently at the bugs roaming on his livid face. The Kumo spitfire should have been gloating at her nemesis's dismal fate, but she herself had turned pale with horror at such a ghastly sight and retreated swiftly to a safe distance away from the inscrutable, creepy youth. Shino was acting in such a nonchalant manner to his actions that even Akamaru dared to offer nothing more than a sympathetic whine for his master.

"Were you able to gather any information about her then… from Shikamaru… Chouji?"

Neji tore his gaze from Kiba's retching form as his friend's strangely calm words registered in his mind. Nodding gently, he blinked a few times quickly as the memories of his most recent adventure flooded in. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he managed to reveal that the Team 10 duo had told him that although Tenten was not at the Division One base camp back when their souls were so abruptly extracted by the Edo Tensei Sound Four ninja, she should be safe at the Alliance's medical compound, having accompanied a few comrades there together with Hiashi. With the mention of her father's name, Hinata's eyes shimmered in evident relief; the girl was gratified that both her cousin and teammate had returned safely from an almost fatal experience with past enemies, and more than delighted to hear that Tenten was still alive.

"That means… that imposter… that imposter clone lied to us… she led us to believe… that Tenten-_chan_…" she stammered softly before knitting her eyebrows. "That… cruel… callous… that disgusting bitch!"

It was too late for the Hyuuga teen to take her words back; her cheeks flushed a deep crimson once that offensive word flew out from her pale lips, much to the amusement of the Konoha peers. And if Kiba was still not choking on the last of Shino's insects, he would definitely have added a congratulatory comment on his teammate's first known swear word.

"Yes, she did… trick us into believing Tenten was… killed," Neji could feel the pallor of death leaving his cheeks and the warmth returning, his entire being awash with such an immense alleviation of emotions that he knew he must be wearing nothing less than an idiotically fatuous grin on his face. "It must have been her plan to bring us down… to make us feel such intense misery... that we… that I … would feel utterly defeated."

"That just goes to show that you need to put more faith in Tenten then," added Hana lightly, rolling her eyes at her brother's plight as he continued attempting to cough out the last remnants from his throat. "Is it true that she's in possession … of that fan… of that weapon?"

A grim nod erased some of the cheer among the Konoha soldiers, as thoughts of what Karui and the Tenten imposter had said before resurfaced in everyone's minds. While there were numerous questions and a great deal of uncertainty about the Bashosen and its draining effects on its user, Karui solemnly reinforced the point that no one without extensive chakra reserves should be allowed to wield the sacred ninja tool. Neji felt a renewed fear surging from his chest, but before he could reply, his canine friend had managed to clear his mouth enough to join in the discussion while keeping a resentful, cautious stance away from Shino.

"Whatever you say, Karui, it seems that she's been able to use the fan without disastrous effects anymore. According to Shikamaru, she's found a way to imbue her weapons with the Bashosen's elemental properties and she's been using them to… well…to perform awesome feats, apparently."

Neji allowed himself to bask a little in Kiba's curt adulation of his teammate; the latter was obviously taking the opportunity to rile Karui's nerves as much as he could, enjoying the fact that even though he was simply belaying the words of his friend's he was actively deriding what she had warned about and subtly stating that she was wrong in her effusive proclamations based on her lacking knowledge. While the reunion with his Konoha peers had been short and absolutely perilous for the most part, the Nara teen had been kind enough to allay Neji's nettled emotions, so clearly aggravated by the treacherous White Zetsu clone's grievously false words. The little Shikamaru had shared was more than sufficient to drastically change Neji's world, for even in the midst of battle with the Sound Four ninja, the one thing that spurred him on was the fact that Tenten was safe and sound, that she was in no danger of being hurt by the Bashosen, that she was alive and they would reunite very soon.

_Yes_, Neji told himself as he raised himself up to his feet, adrenaline bristling through his veins and firing his bloodstream with a much needed boost of energy. _We'll be together very soon, Tenten. Wait for me._

_The world was ending._

_Across the battlefield, countless shinobi were skewered alive by wooden staves raining on them from the heavens. The skies rumbled with their depraved malevolence, accompanying the blinding flashes of lightning that were celebrating the calamitous massacre occurring around the ravaged land. Piercing cries of terror rang everywhere as branch after branch thrust themselves savagely through body after body, the humans' earthly torsos rendered worthless once their flesh and bones, limbs and organs, heads and necks, were impaled by the wooden poles. It seemed as if the gods were at work, as if it was their baneful intent to rid the world of any human existence, ignoring the fact that the scattered corpses were amounting to such an execrable number that if not inhibited, it might very well be the end of the Shinobi Alliance._

_To his alarm, he found himself pinned to the ground as well, a searing pain blistering through his entire torso from a precarious area just mere inches from the small of his back… the base of his spine. He fought to stay conscious, his hooded lids threatening to close over his burning eyes, which he realised were expelling tears of pain that were rolling down his ashen cheeks. Slightly repulsed by the abominable idea that he was actually crying in the imminent face of death, he clenched his jaw as he struggled valiantly to raise his upper torso. He stopped short of releasing a mournful howl when he witnessed the sudden appearance of a comrade who had planted herself right in front of him in order to protect him from the next onslaught of stakes that were catapulted from a vantage source._

_He found himself croaking for the girl to leave him be, for her to extricate herself from a fate as potentially devastating as it was for their comrades strewn all over the vastness of the desecrated battleground, but to no avail. Screaming himself hoarse one last time, he yelled desperately that she did not have enough chakra to continue using her precious tool, the one that she was perniciously gripping on to in her trembling hands. _

_His eyes were stark with unconceivable distress as the first stake stabbed the ground violently a few metres away, knowing that in less than a few seconds, innumerable more would follow in its wake. He cursed himself for not being agile, not being steadfast enough to evade the earlier assault, for now a comrade whom he knew for just a day or so, would have to make the ultimate sacrifice for one as incompetent as him. Clutching the rocky ground in pure agony but finding no possible grip to aid him in his fruitless efforts to extricate himself, he begged her to escape, his piteously strangled cry almost inaudible in the wake of his sinking heart, for he knew that she would not obey him._

_True enough, the only form of comfort she would grant him was a weak, wan smile; she had turned around, a few metres away, and, though her lips were slightly upturned, her face woefully wretched and distraught, her tearful eyes were filled with such haunting sorrow that he immediately fell silent. The blonde man felt his young heart thumping against his muscly chest more wildly as ever, as the teen girl returned to face the impending doom head on._

_Even before he saw her raise the ninja tool one last time, he knew that it was too late. Even before he closed his eyes, he knew that she would not be able summon an attack strong enough to effectively eradicate the incoming wave of sharpened spears. Even before he shrieked her name, he knew that her current feeble form would not allow her to save herself from her demise. Even before he heard her last words, filled with relentless despair and hopelessness, he knew that she had surrendered totally to the inevitable outcome._

"_I have no more reason to live." _

"Tenten! No!"

The Suna Chunin was almost at his wits' end as the comrade put under his charge continued wailing incoherently in the midst of his seizure… his eyes tearing, nose bleeding, mouth drooling. For the past few minutes, young Yotoi had been superbly shaken by the inexplicable psychic attack that had taken over the Kumo Jounin's senses, cradling his cold body ineffectively. Apart from the deep-rooted fear that Hiruko would tear C's mind apart with this latest telepathic instalment, since Ibiki had already forewarned that he might not be able to bear the brunt of another mind rape, Yotoi was very aware that the two chimera beasts could be drawn by the tormented Kumo soldier's cries to their current location.

"No fear, young one… the beasts… aren't of a concern anymore, I assure you."

Stunned out of his remaining wits, the flabbergasted Suna sealer felt prickling sensations shoot up his spine as the disembodied voice floated into his ears, as if the entire dark cavern he had managed to carry C to was now under the speaker's demoniac hold. The fleeting thought of abandoning his comrade lasted for just a moment, before Yotoi's flawless face was etched with sheer dauntlessness as he braced himself for the invisible intruder's next words.

"Ah ah ah… it was only for a second… but I could see your thoughts, naughty boy. The audacity… you actually wanted to leave your poor C-_san_ all alone here… How could you live with yourself, my dear young Yotoi of Sunagakure? Tsk tsk."

The persistent and spooky presence was almost driving the young man up the wall, but even as perspiration flowed from beneath his turban and down his neck, he continued holding tightly to C's shivering form, biting his lower lip and drawing coppery blood in a futile bid to still his pounding heart. It was at this opportune moment that he thought he heard familiar voices nearby, indicating that his other comrades must have entered the caverns as well, and he could not help but beseech them for aid with a wanton holler.

"You should not have done that, young Yotoi. You've made me very displeased indeed."

Out of the blue, the Suna soldier found a pair of unseen hands around his throat; his first thought was still of C's safety and even before his hands found their way to his own neck, Yotoi pushed his comrade's beaten body away from harm's way. By the time he attempted to prevent the bony fingers from crushing his windpipes, he could already feel the blood shooting to his brain, as if it was exploding in myriad colours to signify the end of his young life.

"I told you… I warned you…" the alien voice now took on an undeniably vicious and debaunched tone as it drilled its way into the increasingly frantic youth's convulsing mind. "I warned you all… not to let them get those _Kekkei Genkai_ bodies to me."


	91. Chapter 91

**Part 9: An Inheritor's Will (17)**

He awoke with a start, realising that something had penetrated deep into his consciousness to rouse him from his fathomless slumber. Having closed his eyes for just a brief spell, the olive-skinned general of Division One had barely caught his forty winks before he was so crudely yanked from a much-needed breather. Finding himself surrounded by the same comrades who were still standing within their own circles as instructed by Shikamaru and his fellow peers, he could find nothing amiss, except for the fact that the young Konoha fighters were still starkly missing from their own circles.

The afternoon breeze billowed through Darui's white hair as he peered into the distance, wondering if the Ino-Shika-Cho trio was still at the medical tents. With the two male teens having returned not long ago from yet another undoubtedly high-octane and hazardous adventure, the Kumo Jounin had forced them to seek treatment and get some rest within the heavily guarded medical sanctuary. A few hours before, when they had returned with the sealing team members and an astounding five sealed _Edo Tensei_ resurrections, the young teens had already seemed visibly fatigued and subdued, preventing him from interrogating them for more specific answers. Even though he admired them for their dogged ardour and undying resilience in face of any form of adversity, he would not want to come to a point where any of their lives was needlessly sacrificed.

Besides, the one kunoichi who had to answer for her reckless behaviour had yet to return, an event that Darui was really looking forward to.

While the division maintained its high level of alertness, it did seem as if the threat of the White Zetsu clone imposters had simmered considerably. With Shikamaru's ingenious idea of having everyone within their individual circles, and only with the permission of Darui, Kitsuchi and a few other high-ranking captains was anyone allowed to move for one reason or another, the past few hours had been relatively peaceful… mundane and boring even. Darui sniggered slightly as that thought struck him, heaving a sigh as he mused that if the frenetic action the previous day and night was all there was to the battle, he would gladly call it day and return to Kumogakure with absolutely no regrets.

Of course, he knew that this absurd cerebration was totally wistful thinking.

His languid eyes were now roving around the vicinity, observing how Chouza and his team remained ever vigilant while guarding the _Edo Tensei_ version of Dan, and how Kitsuchi, a short distance away, was now barking at a group of soldiers who were complaining about having to stay within their self-imposed circular prison, deriding the idea as a ridiculous and childish way of staying safe. After a few more seconds of careful analysis, he was still unable to rid himself of the nagging feeling that someone had made a deliberate attempt to connect with him telepathically, and this time it was obviously not anyone from the Headquarters. While it could be his ragged nerves speaking, Shikamaru and Chouji's most recent ordeal was warning him that there was more than met the eye, and that danger was once again going to pay a visit to the coastal region where his division was situated.

That might mean he had no choice but to handle this matter elsewhere, in order not to bring more chaos and destruction to his men.

"Mizuko, Bekkou."

His fellow Jounin a few circles away turned quizzically once they heard him calling their names and strode to where their general stood. Though their prowess was far from Konohagakure's Yamanaka Inoichi's level, the Kumo duo had been crucial in their role as two of the top sensors in the division, relaying messages telepathically to the various squad captains with their well-versed team in order to reduce the amount of vile treachery that could overcome the battalion. Despite the usual staidness and severity in their expressions, both of them could not help but be discernibly taken aback by Darui's words, expelled in his habitual lacklustre drawl,

"I'm sorry to trouble you once again, my friends… but… I think… I think C just tried to contact me."

"He's alive… thank goodness… he's still alive…"

Scant minutes had passed since the group entered the ominous caverns, yet their grated senses were already stirred up sharply to such illimitable proportions. For the umpteenth time since the battle started the day before, Tenten could feel her heart in her throat as she watched yet another comrade battle for his life. As she studied Sakura's hands, aglow with mystical energy, pulsing over her current patient's body, she felt as if there was a ticking time bomb awaiting to explode, as if Hiruko would appear at any moment and take them unawares. She knew that the pink-haired medical ninja was feeling the same, as were many of their fellow comrades; the palpable tension in the air could be cut with a knife, as the others stood sheepishly around, utterly thrown off by the dreadful turn of events.

Even though those not involved in the preceding fight with the resurrected form of Aoi Rokushou had leapt into the caverns way before Tenten and the rest, they had been unable to locate any single one of whoever they were tracking, be it man, beast or zombie. Having activated her _genjutsu_ in order to counter the apparent psychic shields that must have been erected by Hiruko, Kurenai had finally managed to detect a faint but distinct presence within one of the deeper caverns

By the time they had heard their comrade's cry of anguish, it had been too late.

"His neck... His neck was almost broken," the Konoha teen lamented, beads of perspiration tumbling from her sharp nose, even in the cold frigidity of the dark caves. "I'm not sure why... why he didn't finish the job... But I think he can still be saved... if we get him back to the medical compound."

Tenten turned from one patient to the next; as Yuugao helped Sakura in making Yotoi as comfortable as remotely possible, most of the attention was focused on the young Kumo sensor. The blonde man's dilated pupils were wearing a vacant look, the purplish heavy bags beneath, pallid cheeks and slackened jaw adding years to his age. The occasional stutter or cough was all he could manage as he stared blankly ahead, seemingly unaware of the pair of strong arms enveloping him in a tight embrace.

"His mind... His mind is elsewhere," Ibiki announced grimly as he continued trying to manipulate his skills to bring C back. "It's a high-level _genjutsu_, that the zombie must have absorbed and somehow made it his own."

"Let me try. Hold him tight, Ibiki... Don't let go of him, help me when you can. Aoba, stand by as well... We may need all the _genjutsu_ practitioners here to help C."

With the trio of Konoha seniors taking firm control of the situation, Tenten felt her heartbeat abating somewhat. Marveling at how Kurenai, with both her hands holding on to C's temple, must be now manipulating the chakra flow of his cerebral nervous system, she guesstimated that the Team 8 mentor should already have planted herself within her patient's mind. While she did not fully understand the senior kunoichi's highly revered expertise, she knew that with Kurenai's abilities combined with Ibiki's skills, they would hopefully be enough to dispel the contemptible spell Hiruko had so maliciously placed on her comrade by disrupting his senses even further.

True enough, within in a few terse moments, without warning, the blonde man raised his body abruptly to an upright sitting position, the first words he spewed so obstreperously and in a confounding manner immediately stifling the intended celebratory atmosphere.

"Hiruko... Hiruko is seeking Storm Release... He knows... he knows who has it... he searched my mind... turned it upside down... oh my goodness... he knows... he knows Darui has... Darui possesses... He is going to hunt Darui down!"


	92. Chapter 92

**Part 9: An Inheritor's Will (18)**

_It was time. It was time to run._

_Hyuuga Neji felt his pulse beating in his ears, as all around him, thousands of soldiers gave a final war cry that rang across the arena, tearing the morning air apart with a resounding, collective unity. General Gaara's speech had somehow inspired almost everyone gathered, and the Konoha teen strangely felt a surge of pride; it had been some time since Team Guy partook in the Rescue Kazekage mission together with Team 7, yet it felt as if it was only yesterday when they had all been overcome with pure relief when Granny Chiyo's life force managed to resurrect Gaara._

_That memory once again jolted the lingering, wavering tension within his young self; once again, his thoughts were stirring towards one he was holding close to his heart but had not actually acknowledged. While the surrounding crowds were surging forward in accordance to the orders of their respective commanders, and their discordant voices continued firing up the charged atmosphere, Neji's activated _Byakugan_ was scouring through the masses in search of his target._

_She was moving. Together with his uncle, and Chouji's father, she was moving in earnest, face etched with the steely determination that he was so used to, a visual image that seemed to be surfacing much more often in their more recent missions._

_Of course, this would be one of the very few times in recent months that they were not fighting together, that they were not watching each other's backs in the heat of battle. While their ever overzealous teammates were forever propelling themselves towards their foes throwing caution to the wind, Neji had always been more judicious and discerning, ploughing through enemy lines together with the team's sole female. Through the years, she had advanced greatly in her ability to hold her own against more parlous combatants, her taijutsu prowess seemingly improving by leaps and bounds each time they embarked on a new mission. Even if she was not tackling the enemy up close and playing a supporting role for her peers, her affinity with ninja tools saw them through as it ensured that the contents expelled from her scrolls either distracted the enemy enough for her male teammates to take point, or finished the job easily with her deadly arsenal._

_His heartbeat accelerated as she turned her head back slightly even as her sandaled feet continued following the hastened pace of her division; it was at this inestimable moment that in Neji's _Kekkei Genkai's_ realm of vision, her shimmering eyes met with his, a few seconds before, to his duress, she vanished from his sight as the Division One troops veered thunderously out of range._

_Swallowing the lump in his throat as he deactivated his _dojutsu_ techniques, he felt a slight shudder course through his veins as her face flashed so abruptly out if his vision. The trepidation that crept up his spine at that moment rattled his composure a little, as if he was receiving some sense of foreboding warning, as if somehow, he had developed some kind of psychic ability to foretell future happenings. A gentle jostle from his cousin running beside him broke him from his reverie, and a few seconds later, he was chiding himself for displaying such weakness in the wake of upcoming fights that would undoubtedly be the fiercest ones either of them had ever participated in. After all, even though they would be separated indefinitely for an unthinkable amount of time, why should he be this antsy? Was he not the one who had stopped his fellow Konoha peers from being overbearingly anxious about the weapons mistress being 'alone' in Division One? Had he not chastised the rest for acting so overly cagey just a few days before?_

_He had found her leaving the training field late in the evening, himself utterly restless and particularly punctilious. Ever since she had given him that ... hug... the night after everyone was assigned their respective division, the Hyuuga male's senses had been charged with confusion and uncertainty, worsened by the training session just a few hours before, when both of them had had such an ... intimate moment... right in the middle of such intensity. He had to admit that ever since that hug, one that was way more telling and arousing than every other one they had shared before, his mind had been spinning with all these disconcerting, befuddling thoughts... thoughts that seemed to be occupying his head every waking moment. From behind some dense bushes, he watched as she dragged her weary feet out of the gates as she now locked her twin scrolls into her belt holster, her face flushed from the day's exertions. He watched as she bent down to pat a mewing stray, the grey ball of fur immediately working its charms to get some warm milk. He watched as, as expected, she picked it up and cradled it in her arms, bringing it close to her chest as she whispered calming words to pacify its wrenching cries, the heartwarming sight soothing even his frazzled nerves a little. He watched her as she made her lonesome way home, keeping himself surreptitiously veiled, for reasons even he could not fathom._

_And when she had finally noticed that something was amiss and turned around to investigate, instead of coming forth with his feelings for his teammate, he had taken to his heels, his heart lurching into his throat as he tore across the village. He was not ready, he had told himself. He was not ready to come to terms with reality, with his emotions._

_And now, as he raced ahead together with thousands of strangers towards the lush greenery ahead in the horizon, Hyuuga Neji wished fervently that he could turn back time, for the only thing that mattered in his heart at that moment, was for Tenten to know how he truly felt about her._

_Alas, the only thing he could do then, was to run straight into unimaginable peril ahead._

It was time. It was time to run.

Tenten grimaced slightly as she hurled herself forward, her arms stretched limply backwards, her mind whirling once again in its pool of turmoil. Once out of the cave, following Hiashi and Tsume's lead, the remaining shinobi were now speeding against time in the vain hope of reaching their target before he was allowed let his dastardly, horrific plan come to fruition. Keeping pace with her fellow Konoha peers and Shinobi Alliance comrades proved challenging, for her mind was still preoccupied by thoughts of the other team's safety... of the other team's own daunting journey.

"That's not even a legitimate question, is it?"

Haruno Sakura's scorn was not only written over her gleaming green orbs, it also filled her hardened voice with derisive contempt. Even as her palms pumped chakra energy into C's inert body, the Kumo's glazed expression regaining colour as she did, the medic's ire was directed toward a few of her fellow comrades who had had the audacity of such a heinous suggestion. While no one was blatantly voicing it out loud, there was an underlying notion that everyone should abandon Yotoi, brought back from the edge of death's wizened clutches but just barely, and pursue Hiruko.

"Shizune... gave you and Tenten the responsibility of leading the team, Sakura," Aoba raised his hands in defence, the young pink-haired girl's palpable disgust boring into his covered eyes. "I'm just saying... We may have no choice but... but to..."

"But to abandon Yotoi? No way!" Takeshi exclaimed, astonishment in his voice. "If you guys won't take him back to the medical compound, I will!"

"We need you to seal Hiruko, Takeshi, if that's even possible at the moment," Ibiki proclaimed solemnly as he continued holding on to his young blonde charge. "As much as we may be loath to agree with Tenten, time is of essence right now. We can't afford to waste any more time here."

"Saving Yotoi is not a waste of time!" Takeshi rebutted loudly, his features distorted with obvious rage. "I can't believe I'm hearing this, from... from well-versed shinobi like yourselves!"

"Simmer down kid," Tenten's female Iwa friend interjected, sensing that the tension was being thrown out of proportion. "We're not saying that it is. But we really can't continue arguing here, because the more we do, the better chance Hiruko has of attacking General Darui, and worse, Division One. He might even free the _Edo Tensei_ zombies we've sealed so far, and I can't imagine fighting Kakuzu and his elemental masks all over again, mind you!"

While the adults made quick plans after heeding Kurotsuchi's wise words, Tenten felt the warmth rising to her cheeks as her fellow Konoha Chunin glared at her, a look of disbelief on her pale face. It had only been a mere ten minutes or so since she had had that conversation with Sakura, one that she thought must certainly have bridged the gap between them. Now, with the remark of how the team needed to consider the greater good and go after Hiruko in full force, she had unintentionally roused Sakura's countenance. While she recognised that every life was important and she was not implying that Yotoi was an impediment, she realised that the reason why her friend looked so appalled was because she must have thought Tenten was just echoing what Yuugao had taught her earlier in the morning and made such an outrightly repugnant suggestion, one that upon a quick reflection, Tenten would never have ever imagined even bringing it up as a mild possibility. Still, this was war, and she had learnt through the hard way that sometimes, sacrifices had to be made.

The next minute was spent splitting the team up, with Yuugao volunteering to take the Ame prisoners back to the medical compound together with the Akimichi brothers, and providing as much aid as she could to Sakura and her patient. The willowy ANBU swordswoman held the young fellow _kenjutsu_ expert back for a moment as the rest filed out hurriedly.

"Something's not right. You notice the way C keeps staring at you?"

Tenten nodded mutely as she kept her forehead uncreased, fighting her instinct to frown again. Yuugao's exceptionally keen and astute senses had picked up some overt signs that Hiruko's traumatised victim was hiding something, and that his frequent gazes at the bukijutsu expert could mean that he had seen something else in Hiruko's planted visions, apart from what he had announced so impetuously when he was freed by Kurenai's own _genjutsu_ expertise.

"I'm not entirely sure but... do keep a lookout for him. Though he seems disoriented from his ordeal, I'm almost positive that he's hasn't revealed everything he's seen. Be careful, Tenten."

As she soared through the forest, her boggled mind clouded by the recent events, yet another pang hit her straight in the gut, reminding her that she was drifting steadily away from the defensive line that the troops of Division Two had drawn, at the periphery of the other side of the medical compound. As she struggled to convince herself to take heed of Shizune's words, Tenten could only mumble a heartfelt prayer in the hope that she would be reunited with Neji very soon, so that she could finally come clean with her love for him.

It was time. It was time to run.

The hastily assembled squad was following Darui's lead wordlessly, even after he had openly admitted that he had the vaguest idea of what was going on, that their course of action at the moment seemed to be purely based on his gut instinct and very little else.

"Sorry, Mizuko... Bekkou... I'm giving you very little to work with, aren't I?"

They were currently removed a distance from the rest of the division at the coast, studying the rocky terrain of the area where Darui had witnessed the high octane action of the last minutes of Tenten and Ino's tempestuous stand with Toroi. The blue-haired female remained silent as she squinted her eyes, while her partner offered a gruff snort, the edge of his lips rising ever so slightly. As the wind blew his long, jet black locks back while he followed the female in peering into the endless stretches ahead, the Kumo sensor ventured with an arbitrary statement.

"Well, General Darui, you're right. You are really not giving us a lot to..."

"Quiet, Bekkou," Mizuko whispered, her irises shining in obvious concentration. "I.. I think I'm picking up something."

"You are? Really?" The male sensor's interest was piqued, his earlier nonchalant demeanour vanishing and giving in to his competitive nature. "Wait, wait! Let me catch up with you!"

A few metres behind, Kotetsu turned to his partner with a bemused look but Izumo seemed as focused as the two sensors on the supposed threat that was beguiling Darui's senses. The Chunin heaved a sigh as he drew his arms upwards in a much-needed stretch, brushing through his dark spiked tresses absent-mindedly with his right hand. The Konoha duo had been standing guard at the site where Kakuzu had been sealed, together with the resurrected version of Hyuuga Hizashi, for the past few hours and frankly, if he dared to admit it openly, he was hungering for some action. As if his mind could be read so easily, Izumo was now shooting a quizzical look and punching his left shoulder with quite a bit of force.

"You're kidding me, right, Kotetsu? You're actually looking forward to this? To more danger that may strike the Alliance... Our division?"

Kotetsu's cheeks coloured slightly behind the strip of bandage covering his nose area, and gave a deep chuckle. He could never hide his feelings from Izumo, who was now wearing a dark scowl and pursing his lips as he re-adjusted his dark blue bandanna. While he continued lecturing his friend about how one should not wish for the untoward to happen, especially when such a stupendous number of lives were at stake, his own brown eyes shone as he studied the people gathered. Having left General Kitsuchi in charge of the troops, with Chouza-san holding guard of Dan Kato in the _Shishienjin_ Four Violet Flames Formation barrier, Darui had hand-picked the team that was surveying the land. Apart from the Kumo duo, there were a couple of other sensors and soldiers from the other villages as well, but it seemed like the Konoha Chunin duo had been selected due to the fights they had shared with the division's regimental leader the day before.

"I'm sorry," the man drawled in his signature apologetic tone, "but the last time I checked with Headquarters, Inoichi and his men were in need of a breather. Even then, they'd reported that nothing seems to be amiss after the Sound Four attack, and that nothing's really heading our way. However, I really need to have this... this weird anxiety... assuaged. If it's just my nerves talking, then I must apologise and say that I'm really..."

"Save your apologies for later, Darui!" Mizuko bellowed, a sheen of perspiration now glistening on her forehead. "Or for Samui and that idiotic brother of hers if you do manage to rescue them as promised! Something's heading our way... Some... creatures... And moving fast!"

Baffled for the umpteenth time within the past twenty-four hours, Darui was about to ask for C's status, since it was his friend's perturbing presence in his dreams that had awoken this need to clarify matters anyway. Before he could even make a single utterance however, Bekkou followed Mizuko's startling report with an even more outrageous "Oh my goodness! It's that Konoha missing nin... the one called Hiruko!"

It was time. It was time to run.

Extracting himself from the ground, he congratulated himself once again for gaining the body of one who had mastered the incredible ability of traversing so effortlessly within the earth itself and reaching desired destinations within a fraction of time. Just as his burrowed instincts were fired up again, his immense mental prowess began its work, detecting a strong presence a few kilometres ahead. His grey sclera would shimmer in uninhibited glee if it could, as a wave of delirious excitement coursed through his frigid veins. He licked his dry, pasty lips as he placed both fearsome chimeric palms gingerly on the ground and cackled his way through his summoning techniques.

"_Kuchiyose no Jutsu_."

It was time. It was time to hunt.


	93. Chapter 93

**Part 9: An Inheritor's Will (19)**

It was as if the Sun had descended.

The power that resonated from within the spherical mass was so blatantly prodigious that the shinobi currently scattering for cover could feel their skin prickle under its harrowing intensity. Swirling flames rolled around one another as they awaited their summoner for further instructions, their gentle, lazy crackling belying the brewing malice they held within their portentous frolicking. The hovering orb was a harbinger of doom, its majesty as brilliantly evident as the malevolence shrouded in its dark vicious core, the churning mass of red heralding the imminent disaster that was just about to strike.

The young teen, clad in his usual green leotard and flak jacket, felt a firm hand on his shoulder just as he was about to bolt recklessly towards the villain who was now sending the massive cumbrous ball wheeling violently across the forest, scorching everything in its menacing wake. Just like before, wails of pain and terror filled the area, re-igniting the looming presence of death's spindly touch as numerous soldiers found their lives cruelly robbed from them in a split instant, the connecting _Kekkei_ _Genkai_ technique effectively dehydrating its victims instantaneously and living their mummified forms strewn carelessly around.

"No, Lee, we have to stand our ground. Remember what General Kakashi bade us to do."

Clenching his jaw as he submitted to the Suna kunoichi who had held him back, Rock Lee felt his body racking with remorse, the raw intensity as fiery as the devastation that was scouring the land. While Maki was lamenting sorrowfully that her resurrected mentor, her personality erased by her master Kabuto, was once again nothing more than a killing machine, Lee was teetering over the edge at the sights and sounds of the dying throes of his Alliance comrades. The gnawing mournful feeling that he had after witnessing Master Chen's soul returning to the afterlife had long been buried, giving way to an unquenchable sense of urgency and despair. A resounding boom from a short distance away indicated yet another successive hit from another of the remaining _Edo Tensei_ zombies, the Iwagakure shinobi whose explosive attacks had rightfully cemented his fearsome reputation among many of the surviving troops.

"It's Gari again," muttered Sai, whose visage over the past hours had become more wan and harried, saddled with the additional burden of performing his Fuinjutsu: Koshi Tandan sealing technique. Even at this moment, he was preparing and drawing on his scroll under the vigilant protection of Lee, Maki and a few others. "Intel says he's definitely one of the few of Iwagakure's Explosion Corps. If only... if only Tenten were here, Lee-san... With her _Kibaku Kunai_, she could prove a worthy distraction for Gari."

As the Kumo _kenjutsu_ user named Omoi sneered slightly at the remark, claiming that any normal shinobi would be able to attach exploding tags to kunai, the ex-Root member took on a defensive tone and went on to describe how the Konoha weapons mistress had turned the tide around at the end of the battle with the late Hiruko's chimera monster by firing seamless streams of Kibaku Kunai that detonated all at once and blowing the colossal winged creature up. Sai's unexpected mention of his female teammate, the one who had knocked him senseless more than a few times due to his overly zealous passion, did soothe Lee's nerves somewhat, albeit just for a few moments. The flagrant memory that she was 'all alone' in Division One now seemed starkly worrisome in his mind, even as his non-committal Konoha peer delighted in entrancing his audience with insinuations that this Tenten was an item with her teammate, the renowned teen prodigy named Hyugga Neji.

"Why, Lee-_san_... Have I said anything wrong? I overheard Sakura talking about it with Ino and Hinata when I was stalking... I mean, following... I mean... eavesdropping..."

Lee's arched brows of mild bewilderment met a second later to form a thick, bushy worm, as a second explosion rocked the charged atmosphere, bringing on another wave of distraught wails. He spun around as the anxiety in him escalated, knowing fully well that every minute the two beings were allowed to remain resurrected, more innocent lives would be lost. He could wait no longer, despite Guy-_sensei_ and Kakashi-_sensei's_ to await their return while they attempted for the umpteenth time to subdue Mangetsu, the last surviving Swordsman of the Mist. In order to take down the two who were such formidable users of the Scorch Release and Explosion Release, Rock Lee might have no choice but to start removing some restrictive, hefty ankle weight restraints.

It was turning out to be no less than a potential bloodbath.

"_Shakuton! Kajousatsu_!"

The Konoha duo landed painfully on their rears as the exceptionally speedy Mizuko and Bekkou shoved them out of harm's way. Rolling to their feet expeditiously and raising their weapons, Kotetsu and Izumo had scarcely a second to catch their breaths before the next wave of heat orbs whizzed towards them, taking to the air swiftly as their assailant's elemental summons sent steam rising from the rocky ground where they had hit.

"Enryuu! Juri! No!"

While the Kumo female sensor attempted to hide the sheer consternation that must be overpowering her, her male partner was more forthcoming with his anguish, ejaculating horrified shrieks at the sight of the two desiccated corpses that were now emitting dallying smoky tendrils. It was a scant minute ago when the mysterious zombie had made his move, pouncing on his two victims once he leapt out so inconspicuously from seemingly nowhere and greeted them with his fatal touch.

"_Bakuton! Jiraiken_!"

Before the remaining shinobi could react, the lithe figure was already sending all of them scuttling with his next move, seemingly taking yet another soldier's young life in the process. A stocky Iwa lad was standing his ground, having erected a temporary rock wall around him. Just as the vile demon snarled his next technique, he landed a punch on the rocky surface; a deceptively simple punch it was for after contact had been established, a shattering explosion completely obliterated the construct and the stalwart figure within.

"_Shakuton... and Bakuton_!" Izumo exclaimed as he grabbed a flustered Bekkou and willed him to retreat instead of staying entirely flummoxed by the shocking demise of his fellow kinsmen. "Kotetsu, that means Hiruko... He's absorbed both Scorch Release and Explosion Release somehow!"

"He could have more powers, so we must remain alert!" replied his fellow Chunin, a flabbergasted look plastered on his face. "Such... such unique _Kekkei Genkai_ abilities! We'd best avoid his attacks as best as we can!"

"Get a grip of yourself, Bekkou!" Mizuko chided her friend as she felt temporary relief emanating from her core at the sight of the Iwa ninja emerging from the ground, slightly shaken but safe. "Based on what our two Konoha friends have told us, this _Edo_ _Tensei_ is not to be trifled with!"

Once Bekkou had confirmed the identity of the opponent blitzing towards them, the squad had had to make fast, informed decisions based on whatever little Kotetsu and Izumo could share based on what they had learnt from Naruto and his peers after their epic battle with Hiruko and his minions. Kakashi in particular had had to offer his personal apologies for knocking both Chunin out at the Konoha gates in his hypnotised state, and gave them some vague information about their vanquished enemy, supposedly a terribly misunderstood individual.

"Kakashi said he'd seemed ...remorseful before he died!" the frenzied Izumo had offered. "Why... why is he attacking us now?"

"We must remember these resurrections are under Kabuto's control," Darui had surmised, his languid nature dissipating at the growing urgency. "Somehow, for one reason or another, C... C managed to contact me telepathically, probably... probably to warn me."

"He must be after your Storm Release, General Darui!" Kotetsu offered, his eyes twinkling in memory of what his younger friends had shared. "According to Naruto and Shikamaru... one of Hiruko's techniques... revolved around Storm Release when he as alive."

He sniggered as he saw a red-clad soldier appear from the ground, having escaped his Landmine Fist explosion. While his eyes were taking in the sight of the remaining dozen or so shinobi struggling to regain their composure, he realised that his prey... the one he had traversed miles across for... was nowhere to be found. Even the psychic abilities he had achieved were no longer able to detect him at the moment. The vexation that struck him caused Hiruko to switch from the snarky countenance he had been adopting to one that barely hid his proliferating conniption, grey sclera blazing in indignation, shark-like teeth gleaming in salivary disgust.

"Where is the one named Darui? Get him out here before I kill each and every single one of you!"


	94. Chapter 94

**Part 9 - An Inheritor's Will (20)**

"It... it's working... He can't seem to detect you... detect us... at the moment, General Darui."

His smooth olive skin glistening with the combination of the afternoon sun and the ferocious heat emanating from the assailant's attacks, Division One's leader was coming to terms with his current situation, vainly trying to ignore the agonised cries of his dying comrades. Bekkou's estranged holler confirmed that two of his Kumo soldiers were the ones who had bitten the dust, and the weight pulling his heart down suddenly became ten times heavier as the memory of how the twins' father had implored him just three days ago to take care of his son and daughter on the battlefield. Darui felt a shudder course through his entire being as the memory of the elderly man's wrinkled face, creased with that wide smile of appreciation, struck his stumped mind hard, enough to make him raise his torso slightly, enough to make him ache to join the battle.

"No, sir. We agreed to lay this trap for him... We must move according to plan and let my team do our part."

Darui glanced at the kunoichi who had just spoken as he gritted his teeth and sank back to the ground behind the jagged boulders. The young woman returned his look with her dark green eyes blazing with resolve, her blonde wavy hair cascading past her shoulders and resting on her Kirigakure grey flak jacket. Despite her short stature, she seemed to be the one leading the quartet who were currently using their unorthodox technique of generating an invisible barrier that was able to shield the group's presence even from Hiruko's telepathy.

"Listen to her," one of the men cackled, almost unkindly, his receded hairline a contradicting contrast to his dark, unkempt shoulder-length hair. "One year ago, she was just a pipsqueak and now she's even giving orders to the Division general!"

"Shut up, Chuushin, and don't deviate from your part. We need some time to get ready for next technique, once that monster's in place."

The firm baritone belonged to one who was the obvious leader of the pack, his calm and serious demeanour portraying his level-headedness. Akaboshi was the one who had hastily come up with the plan after Mizuko yelled out aloud to the assembled squad that they needed to shield Darui from Hiruko's detection just in case his real target was indeed their general, mobilising his notorious Magaki Group members to perform their collaborative technique. At the moment, to Darui's eyes, this tall and fearsome looking man was the launcher of the particularly effective jutsu, while his teammates were transferring their chakra to him.

"That's right, you cur," a third man added, his androgynous appearance startling the Kumo man, his masculine voice being a clear mismatch for his feminine outlook. "I've warned you not to disturb Hotaru anymore. We're a team now, no longer... enemies and we should start acting like one, get it? I mean, we are fighting this war to protect that Uzumaki kid we fought, for god's sake!"

"I'm just teasing her a little, Benten... You know I mean no harm!" Chuushin grumbled, scowling at the mini lecture he was getting for nothing. "And I know how important this war is, if not we wouldn't be donning Kiri flak jackets and participating to fight the enemy right? Jeez, just months ago we were still badass bandits and still hunting Hotaru down for her _kinjutsu_... Oww! Don't hit me on my shoulder, Nangou! You know I bruise easily there!"

While his heart was still out with the combatants in the grievous peril of being wiped out by the Edo Tensei resurrection, Darui was a little bemused by the dynamics of this confounding group. Mizuko had had the acuity to activate this team of misfits due to the fact that they had been the ones who had shielded a substantial amount of the Alliance shinobi when the coastal area was undergoing Gedo Mazu's stomping rampage by erecting their heterodox barrier to protect their injured comrades. Based on the little intel he had received, the four men had been infamous bandits associated with one Shiranami who had made it his mission in life to wrest control of the powerful Tsuchigumo village forbidden technique. Somehow, this young woman, burdened with her dwindling clan's _kinjutsu_, had actually managed to win the quartet over and even convinced them to get past their selfish greed and take part in the war efforts together with her.

Barely paying an ounce of attention to the quibbling chatterbox, Hotaru remained tight-lipped while she focused on the strangled cries and cacophonous racket of the combatants' battle. She winced slightly at the obvious thud of a third desiccated body, accompanied by the frenzied shouts of the frazzled fighters. Bracing herself as the Kumo commander argued that he needed to be out there fighting Hiruko's Scorch Release moves with his Water Release techniques to counter them, Hotaru shrugged Benten's restraining hand away from her shoulder.

"You can't, Hotaru! We just need a few more minutes for our attack!"

"I need to help while you guys continue your preparation," the young kunoichi's voice was steeled with unwavering fortitude. "If water techniques work against him, I'm the one who should be out there fighting..."

"You've done more than enough, Hotaru!" Akaboshi followed his flamboyant teammate's plea as he continued prepping the group's next collaborative technique. "You've demonstrated so much of your worth, fighting those White Zetsus and that Fire demon yesterday and saving dozens of lives of our comrades!"

"If Utakata _shishou_ were here, he'd be out there battling that _Edo_ as well!" Hotaru retorted fiercely, feeling a vise-like grip on her heart at the caustic memory of her deceased mentor. "I am taking part in this war to honour Utakata's memory, to demonstrate my vengeance against the Akatsuki for taking him away... for killing him... for rendering a great man like him into nothing more than a lifeless vessel for the sake of their treacherous goals! I am just doing what I must, and so should you guys! Keep General Darui safe!"

Hiruko was delirious as he raised the shriveled corpse up into the air, his third victim having been the brash Iwa soldier who had escaped his clutches just minutes before. Flinging it carelessly aside, the zombie emitted a surly growl as his bulging eyes roved around the area, his will bent on absorbing Division One's regimental leader into his resurrected body. It seemed almost unbelievable that he had shielded his mind from the one responsible for his resurrection once he had aberrantly gained the ability to meld his mind with the host body used. Apparently his chimeric abilities had followed him through death and resurgence, and his mind was able to enhance and manipulate the psychic abilities of the Amegakure youth used to revive him, at the inordinate expense of his physical strength.

He had refused to relinquish control to his baser instincts, determined to fight Kabuto to the end, and even managed to trick Ichi, Ni and San into believing that he had been in full support of their master's plan to imbue his decrepit body with more _Kekkei_ _Genkai_ abilities so that he could be fully restored to his previous sovereign glory. The irony was not missed - he, who had almost started the Fourth Shinobi War back when he was alive, was now being used as a tool to fight the alliance formed as a result of the same war he had almost spawned.

A war that he was supposed to be the reigning leader of, and not just a weapon at someone else's disposal.

Apart from this unmitigated resentment towards Kabuto, Hiruko had also attempted to battle his inner demons, recalling how Kakashi had freed him from his vulgar, lurid existence just before he passed on by convincing him that he had made actually a connection. He remembered seeing visions of Jiraiya, Tsunade, Orochimaru and others from Konoha as he breathed his last, pangs of regret wrenching him deep in the gut. He remembered waking up again, flummoxed in his the throes of his anarchic revival, and the faint, stifled presence of another in his whirling mind. He remembered Mubi urging him to do the right thing, that they did not have to become depreciated tools, that all they had to do was get sealed and their misery would be over. He remembered tussling with the Ame for control even though they had agreed to send out telepathic signals in order to summon shinobi to the caverns he was holed up in. He remembered how that floundering arrangement fizzled almost immediately once Ni's chimeric dog-like beasts brought the two _Kekkei Genkai_ corpses right in front of him and reignited his inner desires and activated his malevolent instincts again.

He remembered how every single fibre of his dead body burned with demented exultation once he fused the two corpses with his own... the startling lack of inhibition as he invaded the Kumo sensor C's intoxicated mind again ... the immense sense of gratification at the discovery of how his dexterous comrade was leading a whole battalion and how he beheld Storm Release, an astounding ability that he had hankered after even when he was alive.

"C'mon c'mon... come out and face me, Darui! Before I kill each and every single one of your comrades here... before I wipe out your whole division!"

He spun around as he heard someone approach, heart leaping at the thought that his prey had finally appeared. Snarling at the sight of a blonde kunoichi performing some hand seals, Hiruko felt his cold innards twist within himself as he psychically detected the girl's clan _kinjutsu_ engraving on her back. Grey eyes shining even as her mouth released a swirling wave towards him and the _Shakuton_ orbs hovering around, the zombie gave another lauding chuckle at this interesting turn.

Perhaps, before he absorbed General Darui's prowess, he would be able to assimilate one more unique individual as well.


	95. Chapter 95

**Part 10: AGhast from the Past (1)**

"_Tenten! You need to move ahead! Hinata... Hinata's in trouble!"_

_The Hyuuga teen's strangled cry was expelled in such an urgent, distressed manner that the brown-haired kunoichi wasted only a split second in allowing her eyes to take in her partner's current own perilous predicament, before hitching the green scroll to the back of her waist and soaring ahead. Her young heart was thumping as wildly as when she had first set her keen eyes on the devastated periphery of the Hidden Leaf village, her oesophagus feeling as though there was something pushing upwards from within. Mind whirling at the tumultuous reality of the situation, that her home had been barbarously invaded and was now blanketed by settling dust, Tenten tried in vain to reel in her senses as they took in the sights, sounds and smells of the smoky rubble, the desperate cries of horror ringing in increasing frequency; the jarring scenes surrounding her were threatening to overwhelm her being even as her feet were willing her to move away from Neji and the gigantic centipede as quickly as possible._

_Before reaching Konoha, Team Guy had encountered one of Jiraiya's giant toad summons amidst toppled trees and desecrated grounds. Within scant moments, Lee and Guy were engaged in a heated battle with a slimy chameleon-like creature that Neji had detected with his _Byakugan_, its unique camouflaging abilities and strange physical appearance almost catching the harried team off guard. And barely a few minutes thereafter, the remaining duo was ambushed by yet another strange oddity that scurried out of several rocks on its uncountable legs, its lengthy body covered by a scaly sheen that defied simple punches and sharpened kunai. _

_Attempting to veer herself towards the direction Neji had instructed her to take, the usually sprightly and vivacious female was regretting her earlier laments to slow down their pace as she and her male counterparts made their way back towards their home, where they had not set foot on for weeks due to a classified mission, one that had required much of her expertise as a weapon specialist. Compared to that espionage mission that saw her spending days and nights dealing with merciless mercenaries who spared no hesitation in beheading their own, the stress levels that were presently hitting her seemed to have escalated to insurmountable proportions. From the corner of her eyes, she spied fellow ninja with blood trailing down their faces providing aid to villagers entrapped by fallen debris, their resoluteness all the more praiseworthy due to the fact that they themselves could hardly hide their shaky countenance and trembling limbs. As much as she would like to assist in rescuing more survivors, Neji's voice resounded in her head and she continued bounding forward amidst lazy tendrils floating upwards from flattened houses, with fresh billows of smoke buffeting out of newly leveled buildings in the vicinity. _

_A high-pitched shriek arrested her attention and forced her to divert her focus to a distance away to her left, among several stretches of ashen rubble and dozens of civilians. Her widened pupils dilated even further as she witnessed the appearance of yet another gigantic creature, once again obviously summoned by the enemy. Like the preceding chimeric chameleon and starkly orange centipede, this third monster had several protrusions on its back, and its eyes seemed to have distinct spherical ripple-like patterns spread over the eyeballs, with light purple irides and sclerae. _

_"Tenten! Over here! We... We have to take this giant panda down!"_

_Her moment of hesitation had drawn the scrutiny of fellow Chunin Kotetsu and Izumo, who were valiantly vaulting over the creature from behind with their elongated Kunai Blades and shell-like mace. The prodigious panda seemed to be immune to the slashes that were slicing through thin air, its mammoth black fists sending the already ravaged ground breaking apart even more. Dozens of thrown kunai were sticking out its rotund body, the black sash around its massive ivory waist giving the impression of it being a fighting expert of some sort._

_As it rampaged its way through the dozen or so Konoha warriors, Tenten was stricken by the sight of several civilian bodies lying around the area and of the limp, broken torso of a fellow kunoichi within the creature's right fist. As if it had taken notice of how afflicted the approaching female was, the panda gave a mighty bellow as it raised the lifeless form and clenched its fist even tighter, causing the corpse to split in two, the top half obeying the laws of gravity by meeting the ground in a bloody mess within a second, while the lower portions were allowed to slide down the creature's leg as it lowered that offending hand and loosened its grip, a trail of dark red staining its otherwise ebony black fur. _

_"Tenten! Keep your distance and do what you do best! Distract him as we help get the survivors to safety!"_

_Her hefty green scroll had already been freed from its constraints, as she tried to steel her accelerating heartbeat while Kotetsu's voice filtered into her eardrums; summoning her usual arsenal of kunai and shurikens seemed useless in stopping the creature, as the formidable barricade its hardened body had become clearly evidenced by the blades scattered around or protruding from its torso. The stream of _Kibaku Kunai_ she had fired from the depths of her scroll was doing little other than delaying its momentum; suppressing the urge to summon more explosive attacks due to the presence of dazed civilians currently receiving help with the appearance of more ninjas, the kunoichi gritted her teeth and darted quickly away as the panda pawed through the air-borne detonations facilely, emitting an aberrant grunt from its chest as it ambled eerily and steadily towards its assailant, its colossal form a portent of destruction._

_"Tenten! That's it! Get it to an open area so we can attack more freely!"_

_Tokubetsu Jounin Yamashiro Aoba was now attacking from the rear together with his peers, their fiery Katon assaults also splashing off the frightful force with barely a scorch. It was as if all over the leveled village, Konoha's fighters were picking themselves up from the very recent catastrophe, working together to continue battling their enemies. Though Tenten had little knowledge of what had actually occurred, she felt a surge of pride for her fellow villagers as they rallied together to take down their indomitable foe. As she summoned several _Fuma Shurikens_ that whirled speedily towards this presaging harbinger of doom, she did a mental calculation, wondering how long her fellow teammates would need to get to this spot. Even if the other two creatures were as daunting as the panda, she somehow still believed that Guy and Lee would have easily defeated their snake-like opponent and that Neji's prowess would allow him to strategise effectively against the multi-pronged abnormality. Remembering that they had to get to Hinata and Naruto's site as soon as they could, she prayed fervently that their peers would be safe against their own adversaries, and that the other Team Guy members would forge ahead if they could. _

_"Tenten! Together now! On the count of three!"_

_For a few terse moments, the group had managed to lead the panda to a more isolated region of the village, away from the gathering medical ninjas speeding across town to provide medical support. By then Shino and his fellow Aburame clansmen had also gathered, as well as Kiba's family and their loyal companions. With their relentless attacks, even with its seemingly impregnable body, the panda was faltering in its wake, unable to cope with the various skills that the ninjas had up their sleeves. The fleet-footed Inuzuka Tsume and her children were taking point with their dogs, prancing around the panda without actually engaging it in battle as their peers followed Shino's father's plan; even though Kiba seemed to have been injured from an earlier incident, he was no less spirited as he worked in synchronised movements with his mother, sister and their furry partners, all of them fired up by the utter incredulous upheaval faced by Konoha. _

_"Now! Take it down now!"_

_With Aoba's summoned pesky crows now flapping around the furry giant, pecking and clawing at it with their gleaming beaks and pointy talons, it could hardly retaliate when a dozen weighted chains exploded from Tenten's unfurled scroll, screeching across the distance and raveling themselves over the creature more than a few times over. _

_"_Hijutsu: Mushidama!"

_Without missing a beat and riding the air currents to gain some aerial vantage, the mistress of weaponry sent a dozen explosive-tagged kunai whizzing straight towards the area where the chained panda was standing on. The following furious fulminations sent Tenten's prisoner hurtling into the long columnar pit that the Aburames' _Kikaichuu_ bugs had deviously spent the past quick minutes preparing, one that even the Herculean monstrosity would have trouble getting out of. Before it could even get its bearings in its caliginous dungeon, its metallic constraints unyielding and rigid, the egregious slayer emitted a muffled moan of despair; the darkness that surrounded the walls was now swirling itself around, revealing its components to be millions of bugs that were now buzzing with life and vicious intent. As swiftly as its ordeal had begun, as its entire brutality was engulfed by the treacherous bugs, the giant panda's life was snuffed out in less than a minute as the chakra-eating parasitic insects devoured the creature from within. _

_Twenty seconds later, Team Guy's lone female felt the adrenaline coursing through her veins as she sped toward her Hyuuga friend and catch up with her team, leaving her comrades behind to continue looking for and rescuing their fellow villagers from harm, the skills of Izunuka and Aburame clans clearly crucial and expedient in such a situation. A lump formed in her throat as she recalled how everyone had pitched in to eradicate a common enemy, the spark in their bellies burning through their beings as they fought the towering vile beast to its bitter end, even though each and every single one of them knew that the main battle was elsewhere and whatever they did then might not even chip in a single bit to the eventual outcome in the grand scheme of things. Even as she beseeched the heavens to keep Hinata safe and sound, Tenten knew that she had learnt an invaluable lesson that day about camaraderie and teamwork, one that she hoped she could apply and relive in the near future, when the need to bring down an adversary might require so many of her fellow Konoha comrades to join forces once again._

"Tenten! Behind you! Get down!"

She felt the spring leave her step as she threw herself to the rocky ground, speedily rolling away from the serrated razor-like claws that were swooping over her, mere seconds from taking her head out. As the screeching abomination flapped its affixed leathery wings and soared upward, the plucky kunoichi let loose the spear she was holding on to like a javelin, the trusty weapon cutting the air and piercing through both its wings and skeletal head. All over the area, her comrades were sought out by Hiruko's summons, obeying their dead master's commands to delay his pursuers' progress as he himself propelled towards his prey and their General, Kumogakure's worthy Storm Release user Darui. Jutsus and techniques were flying all over, as the horde of chimeric monsters launched themselves one after another at the Alliance shinobi. Cursing under her breath about this importunate setback as she blew up the next bunch of bug-eyed felines leaping at her with _Kibaku_ _Kunai_, Tenten spied Aoba's cawing crows pecking and slashing through a furry bear with protruding tusks, her thoughts reeling back to a few weeks back when she had witnessed a similar scene with the giant panda after the Akatsuki had pillaged and destroyed the Hidden Leaf Village. Remembering how she had mentally celebrated at that chance to battle together with remarkable Konoha ninjas, she chided herself for presently getting more than she had bargained for with that childish wish; instead of just one vexing beast, Tenten and her fellow combatants were now dealing with dozens at one go. With time being the squad's enemy and a luxury they could not afford, she held back only for a moment as she unsealed the sacred ninja tool in her possession for the umpteenth time, earlier warnings from her adult comrades failing to register any longer, raising the red and white frond to the heavens as more air-borne monsters hovered precariously overhead.

"Well back then, I didn't have this fan, if not that stupid panda wouldn't have had a chance! Let's see how long these chimera demons can last against the Bashosen!"


	96. Chapter 96

**Part 10: A Friend in Need (7)**

"_Kumo-Ryuu Kaengiri_!"

The highly charged atmosphere received an even more intense provocation, this time in the form of huge arcs red-hot flames that followed the trajectory of a particularly fiendish swing of a fire-imbued blade. The skilled user of this technique was swiftly surrounded by a fiery circle that in a few seconds, incinerated the multiple beasts that had been lured to pounce on him almost simultaneously.

"_Katon! Kasumi Enbu no Jutsu_!"

As the crackling flames continued blazing fiercely after this abhorrent display of Kumogakure's Cloud-Style Flame Beheading move, a second figure catapulted herself into mid-air and blew out a flammable gas from her lungs; once the gas touched the circular column, an even more ferocious inferno was kindled, taking a life of its own as it swirled around in search of the dozens of chimeric beasts that were in its peripheral area and engulfed them in its own hellish force.

Kumogakure's elite Jounin sensor Mizuko landed neatly as she gave a satisfactory smirk at how her Fire Release: Mist Blaze Dance technique had worked so well with her partner Bekkou's fiery blade attack. Her elation lasted only for a split second as she recognised that the squad that Darui had pulled so snappily together was far from safe; despite the dwindling amount of chimeric beasts, they still had the extremely unnerving and parlous Hiruko to deal with, a being so full of malevolent intent that she thought she could actually feel it seeping from his bandaged pores. Right now, the young Kiri-clad blonde girl was joined by Konoha's Chunin duo in dealing with the vile Edo, while the rest were distracted by his treacherous summons, they themselves constructed against the laws of nature and reeking of their master's malignancy.

As the high-pitched wails of the burning beasts continued stirring the vicinity in their dying throes, the blue-haired female swallowed the lump in her throat; Bekkou's fiery blade techniques were not only performing their perfunctory role of quelling the formidable creatures, they were also currently responsible for reaching the deep recesses of Mizuko's mind. She had kept herself close to Darui even the day before, taking delicate control of Division One's sensor unit. Though Bekkou might beg to differ and claim that both of them were in charge, everyone knew that she was really the one handling the unit with her firm stance and almost impervious countenance.

The only time in the past two days when she had allowed to expel an anguished cry of ultimate despair was when she witnessed first-hand how Samui was haplessly sucked into Kinkaku's Benihisago, the Crimson Gourd that was revered as one of the treasure tools of the Sage of the Six Paths.

As Bekkou continued charging recklessly, almost gleefully, at the snarling chimeric monsters, sending fearsome flames that torched countless demonic forces, the kunoichi was reminded of how Samui's brother Atsui, had also performed such techniques the day before against the Zetsu army. In fact, he and Bekkou had been from the same batch of graduates, both young men hopelessly brash and hotheaded in their Genin days, although the latter had become much less feckless and more culpable for his actions once Mizuko had taken him under her wing. Under their mentor Dodai's tutelage, the duo, together with C who soon became the Raikage's bodyguard together with Darui, had become some of Kumogakure's youngest elite sensors, recognised for their unique telepathic abilities as well as a credible range of jutsus at their disposal.

Though Bekkou might not be her brother by blood, many had come to see these two orphans as siblings due to the bond that had grown between them; many a time the ever snarky Atsui had even jostled his pal and asked for his help to win his frigid 'sister's' affections. Mizuko paid no attention to the crass youth of course, although his sister was a different story altogether. Samui was one of Kumogakure's most sought after kunoichi, not just for her intelligence and _kenjutsu_ skills but also for her voluptuous beauty. Her fair skin and ample bosom were subjects of many young ninjas' fantasies, though her tall stature and cool disposition usually curdled the blood of many potential suitors.

Samui was the first person who had given then thirteen year old Mizuko, yet another abandoned parentless child who knew very little about love and affection, a simple, friendly peck on the cheek on her birthday.

As she turned a few aerial somersaults to avoid a stampede of charging rhino-like beasts, their elongated black tusks a jarring sight to behold, the image of Samui's deep blue eyes, symmetrical blonde bob and aloof yet enchanting expression floated in her mind once again. Mizuko had been utterly devastated by the loss of Samui and her brother; though she usually handled matters the same stoic way Samui would, the two kunoichi having reached an understanding and mutual respect of each other's capabilities, Bekkou was the one who had to pull her back before she could launch herself towards the heart of the battle, where even the supposedly omnipotent Darui almost met his end.

There was no Bekkou to stop her... to waylay her... when those two sentry guards got on her wrong side.

She had been so overwhelmed with grief at the thought of losing Samui forever that she had somehow stumbled into Darui's empty tent to confront him. Her chagrin was palpable when it had come to her attention that in the midst of the fearsome Gedo Mazou catastrophe that shook the lands and rocked the heavens, even the crimson gourd had been lost. Within that short period of time it had descended upon them, the gargantuan force of nature had robbed her of the belief that the woman she had harboured romantic feelings for since she hit puberty could be saved, as long as the gourd remained with them. Her squad had been charged with treating the injured survivors at the back of the sprawling grounds, where she had instructed the unexpectedly masterful Kirigakure-clad team to erect an impenetrable barrier for protection against the monstrosity. Even then she had been particularly edgy, haunted by the scenes of both Samui and Atsui being absorbed by the legendary ninja tool, their presence no longer detectable even by her advanced sensory repertoire.

"Pity that Samui got sucked in. Would have loved to play with her... twin assets."

The depraved laughter that reached her sharp ears had stirred up the unquenchable sense of despair, invoking an irrational fury that had been building up since the horrendous afternoon. As the two men continued dwelling on Samui's wondrous curves, she had to bite her lower lip in order to prevent herself from exposing her presence, her fists clenched so tightly that her nails were drawing blood. The two degenerates seemed incapable of stopping, as they continued making lascivious, unbearably coarse remarks about her friend's body, until Mizuko, flushed and disconcerted, made her presence known.

"You shouldn't be disrespecting one who put her life at risk for us, you perverse imbeciles!"

With that ringing holler, she had sprung at them from the night shadows, delivering a flurry of blows that both lechers could not evade. She had only wanted to teach them a lesson for making fun of someone she held in such high regard and esteem, and one whom she had secretly loved for years. Yet, by the time she stopped, panting partly due to to the physical exertion, partly because of the depths of darkness she seemed to have plummeted into, the two men were out cold. Trembling, she had faltered back into Darui's tent again, her mind in a rampant whirl as she tried to regain her composure, to collect her addled senses.

That was when she heard the unmistakable sound of kunai embedding themselves into flesh and bone.

Mizuko gritted her teeth as yet another snake-like lizard lashed its slimy tongue out at her, perturbed by the flagrant memory of discovering the two Kumo guards killed with a kunai lodged deep into each of their foreheads. Her senses immediately fired up, they located two fleeing shadows which she had pursued and taken down easily, thus discovering first hand the nefarious duplicity that the Zetsu horde had plunged the entire Shinobi Alliance into, when the human bodies devolved into White Zetsus.

She had later come clean of course, when Darui confided in her about how he had accused the flummoxed Konoha teen girl who might have committed the murder in order to steal the Bashosen. By then the Division One general had already decided that the legendary tool was safer in the hands of this Tenten than his own Kumogakure comrades, an idea that Mizuko found an outright atrocity, but was too late to decry against since the audacious girl had somehow left base camp for unknown reasons.

"Tenten knows how activate the Bashosen's prowess," Darui had shrugged off her concerns with such lacklustre alacrity that the sensor wanted to clobber him. "She's done wonders with that fan and has saved countless lives with her ardour... with her immense courage. I am sorry you're upset but I can't see why you're so... averse to the idea of her holding onto the fan for now, Mizuko... So far, so good, don't you think?"

That was the straw that broke the camel's back.

"So far, so good? SO GOOD? What's SO GOOD about this, Darui? What's good about how... about how you keep allowing the Treasure Tools to be taken away from us? Those treasures belong... belong to Kumo! Not that Konoha girl! Didn't she almost die from using the Bashosen? She's just using the fan... the Bashosen... to show off, can't you see? Can't you see that she's just been trying to make a name for herself in this godforsaken war? You foolish, impudent..."

She had stopped mid rant, her chest heaving, her tears flowing freely, eyes widened in consternation. The olive-skinned man had remained silent as well, peering at her through his languid eyes but saying nothing. A few seconds passed before he covered Mizuko's trembling right hand with his own, whispering, "This is about Samui, isn't it?"

Mizuko tried to jerk away from his grasp, her defences down, her vulnerability acutely etched on her stricken face. She had never appeared so weak in front of any of her peers before, even among those she called her family and would not hesitate risking her life for.

"I've known you since you were six, Mizuko. I might not have clairvoyant or telepathic abilities like you and Bekkou, but ... I know. Tenten... even when she was almost dying... she didn't give up... she is fighting for her loved ones... her friends... just like we all are. Just like Samui was, just like you are. I know Samui means a lot to you, and I... I'm sorry I lost her and Atsui in battle..."

"You didn't just lose them during the battle, Darui! You lost them on the very first day of this ridiculous war! You lost the Benihisago that held them prisoner! Of all the sacred tools... I couldn't care less if you gave all the treasures to this stupid Tenten... I mean what kind of name is that, huh? Tenten? But you... You lost the gourd... The gourd that contained Samui and Atsui... How... How are we ever going to get them out now? We don't even know if they're still alive! And it's all your fault, Darui! You're our general, and look at what's been happening to us! This is all your fault!"

What made Darui finally release his friend's hand and look away in despair, his own body shivering in the night wind, was when she spat, "I bet you wouldn't be this calm and composed if your precious Mabui was the one who got sucked into the gourd!"

Knowing that Mizuko was regretting her vicious tongue almost immediately, Bekkou had buried his face in his hands, the day's stresses finally wearing his pent up frustrations down. Though he was astounded that his fellow Jounin had actually been implicitly responsible for the deaths of two of their own soldiers, he was even more shaken by the stark realisation that her words, spewed so harshly and with all caution thrown to the wind even in front of a comrade who outranked them, could very well be true. He might really never see two of his closest friends again, and the two presently caught in such heated conflict could well be falling out due to this tremendous loss. Inhaling deeply, he stifled his sniffles and raised his head, the clarity in his voice startling even himself.

"Both of you, stop it. Stop it Mizuko. Samui-_chan_ wouldn't like to see you like this, and she'd feel terrible if she knew you were blaming Darui... It was so chaotic the whole day and he... He did what he had to do, to his best abilities. It's his prerogative as General if he decides Tenten is worthy of wielding the Bashosen for now. We've seen her use it against Kakuzu and his masks, ... You can't deny her bravery, Mizuko. And I know we're all upset about ... losing Samui-chan and that... that big-ass idiot Atsui, but ... We're at war here, Mizuko! We all pledged to fight for the alliance, to do Kumo proud! Remember what Dodai-_sensei_ rapped my head for the other day? He told me not to behave in a rash and impetuous manner, and to always support our leader, whoever he or she may be at any time of the war. You've always been the more level-headed one, Mizuko. What's happened to our friends may be tragic, but... if there's still any way of saving them... of freeing them from that gourd... we will find it. And Darui will be the one who'd give his hundred and one per cent for that task. Don't you know that already? Don't you agree?"

As she followed yet another of Bekkou's fiery slashes with her own _Katon_ jutsu that devoured two serpentine monsters, Mizuko let these wise words replay in her mind, chiding herself slightly that even her younger and usually more bellicose partner had made so much more sense than her exceptionally abrupt outburst at Darui. Knowing that their general was currently safely veiled by the Kiri quartet's unorthodox barrier, the Jounin tried in vain to establish mind contact with him, heaving a relieved sigh that the shield might indeed block him successfully from their pugnacious foe for a more substantial period of time. Despite her unfair accusations the night before, Mizuko knew deep within that Darui was greatly apologetic about Samui and Atsui, and after Bekkou's intervention, had given his word that he would try all means and methods possible to rescue their friends. On her part, she had tearfully offered her sincere apologies for acting like an uncontrollable spoilt brat, for which both men had shaken their heads and said they understood how she felt.

It was after that late-night debacle that Mizuko had sworn to fight for Darui to her best abilities, for all causes. While she had always respected the easy-going man and treated him like a close friend, she had sometimes thought that he was the reason Samui was not as appreciated by the Raikage as he was. Understanding now that her inner demons had to be vanquished for her not to commit any more grievous error in the war zone, she made a silent vow to give her all in her role as one of Divison One's squad leaders and a trusted aide to the general.

"Mizuko!" her dark-haired partner now called, his voice distinct and urgent amidst the clangorous surroundings as he continued fending off the tiresome beasts. "Our Konoha friends... they need our help!"

Even though she knew that Darui seemed to be safe for those few brief moments, a sideward glance caused her senses to spike; both Kotetsu and Izumo were on the ground, and the young flustered girl Hotaru was attempting to hold her own with yet another _Suiton_ technique that seemed to have little effect on Hiruko's stupendous abilities. Knowing that the barrier users hiding Darui might require more time to activate their technique as planned, the intrepid kunoichi threw herself into the frenzied fray while performing frantic hand seals to activate one of the jutsus taught by Dodai, her sharp mind clear and lucid though her thoughts remained resolutely on the one woman she loved.

"Hang in there, Samui! If you're still alive, hang in there!"


	97. Chapter 97

**Part 10: AGhast from the Past (2)**

The mighty beast expelled a thunderous bellow, its malevolence reverberating throughout the already clangorous horizon. Its unheralded appearance piqued the curiosity of the surrounding combatants, both man and chimeric monstrosities alike, for there was a pregnant pause of apprehension before the atmosphere resumed the relentless cacophony of clashes. With its bared tusk-like fangs glistening and hanging halfway down its barrel green chest, and its colossal sharpened claws ripping innocent by-standing shrubs from their roots, Hiruko's new pet was a sight to behold. With a perpetual snarl stuck on its ghastly face and a revolting slash of red emblazoned across its torso, the towering hideous beast lumbered its way towards its prey, its yellow irises gleaming in anticipation.

The breathless air stayed stagnant for just one more split second, before a hushed whisper nudged its stillness out of its silent reverie. The breeze that had suddenly emerged from nothingness, lost its gentleness within a moment, picking up speed and spinning its way into a frenzy as commanded by its conjurer. As the blustery force of nature gathered a ton of corybantic momentum every single second, the next wave of the ninja tool saw swathing flames and crackling electrical energy exploding from within the whirlwind, the maelstrom that followed becoming a portentous omen for the treacherous chimeric concoctions.

"_Sogu: Shikyuu Geki_!"

As if the sizzling tempest was not comminatory enough, dozens of metallic spiked balls were now thrown into the mix, each possessing its own threatening kinetic energy with its blinding revolutions. The apocalyptic twister spun its way to its target within seconds, its suction force devouring stumped creatures that were too thrown off by the precarious vision to scamper for their lives. The green hulking varmint was thus, before even being allowed to unleash its latent prowess, swallowed whole by the elemental furor; despite its gargantuan amplitude it was sent flailing haplessly upwards, its centre of gravity no match for the baleful bedlam. The Deadly Sphere Strike technique was battering the creature senseless from within, its earlier howls of aggression starkly reduced to pathetic whines of pain and subjugation. Sphere after sphere bashed its way through its entire body, tearing its way through bone and flesh as if they were little more than thin films of water. By the time the vortex spun itself to oblivion and the charred mass was strewn messily across the ground together with a number of other dead chimeric beasts, the vermin was rendered out of commission almost as quickly as it had been summoned. The wretched creature was in its dying throes, its last breath a soft, piteous cry of befuddlement from its now fangless, heavily bruised lips.

Yuuhi Kurenai stifled a gasp, her large red eyes shimmering in slight disbelief as they took in the harrowing sights and sounds of what was unfolding a short distance away. Her bare slender fingers stayed where they were, clutching the cracked skull of a horned ape while she manipulated her own powers to determine Hiruko's progress and location. She remained transfixed at the majestic scene that portrayed the abilities of her fellow Konoha kunoichi so vividly; a slight glance at the two kunai unceremoniously thrust into the eye sockets of her subject of analysis reminded her of the same kunoichi's skill-set, and she could not help but tilt her head to her right and mumble to the black-clad man just a mere two metres behind her.

"That child... She's come a long way indeed, hasn't she?"

Clenching his jaw and gritting his teeth as he maintained his stoic presence, Morino Ibiki kept his steely gaze fixed on the teen girl who, after just a moment's breather from single-handedly taking out the most ferocious beast, leapt into the fray once again with a Chinese spear burning at its fiery red tip. Charged with taking care of the debilitated blonde sensor from Kumogakure, Konoha's top ANBU interrogator had had little choice but to sit the battle out. With his patient still in a daze and rambling incoherently, Ibiki could only observe from afar, his heightened senses sparked as he continued his attempts to get a firmer fix on Hiruko's position by analysing C's psychic trail.

"If she continues like this, she might ... she might perish. Tsume's warning from Shikaku has made that quite clear, Ibiki."

Kurenai's words pierced through his eardrums; though he was presently less flummoxed at the sight of the girl not wielding the sacred fan, like how she had just handled the green monster, she would inevitably summon it from the confines of her scroll again. He watched as Konoha's mistress of weapons flew towards a grey wolverine that was pouncing on the male Suna sealer, and impaled its broad furry back savagely, allowing Takeshi to behead it with ease with his own wind blade techniques. In less than three seconds, her scroll was unravelling around her again, rending support now to Aoba's summoned squawking crows by unsealing ice-imbued kunai that assailed dozens of hovering mutant wasps with such pinpoint accuracy that every single one was frozen in mid-air.

"Even C... C must have seen something in his visions too... The way he's been staring at her whenever he's vaguely conscious," the _genjutsu_ expert now heaved a sigh before turning around fully to face her fellow Jounin, abandoning her task in vain. "In case... in case something untoward really happens to her... doesn't she have the right to know about her parentage now?"

That was what made Ibiki actually blink, his eyelids stretched to their limit as his jaw loosened for his mouth to gape slightly. A rush of emotions hit the usually stolid persona; he had hardly even flinched inwardly when he was being so cruelly assaulted by the Edo Tensei version of Dosu Kinuta and his retching inducing Melody Gauntlet. Now however, the astonishment that surged from his core was impossible to veil, his eyes flashing with such stupefaction that even the Kumo Jounin peered through his heavy lids, having felt the unnatural tightening of Ibiki's flexing arm muscles. Raising his trembling hand weakly and placing it on the ANBU's heavily scarred and chiseled countenance, C managed a soft, muffled "She deserves to know..." before passing out again.

Startled beyond belief, Ibiki met Kurenai's eyes, now softened with understanding and sympathy, as she sat herself next to the stricken man.

"The woman who ran the orphanage for many years, the one who took Tenten in, is a distant relative of mine. She and I are close... She's like an older sister to me... and Sumi-_chan_ told me all about your ... your frequent visits to the orphanage."

Nodding mutely as painfully buried, agonisingly haunting memories crept from their deep recesses, Ibiki strained his eyes towards the subject of this strictly unexpected conversation again, this time witnessing her working in perfect synchrony with Hyuuga Hiashi, as if reliving an earlier battle with her own Hyuuga teammate, he with his graceful _Jyuuken_ blows, she with her hard-hitting staff attacks. As the duo dealt hit after hit on their wailing feline victim, its silky, elongated body a yielding target for their combined taijutsu tactics, the aroused melancholy triggered a single silent tear that trickled its way down his jawline, its cold warmth caressing his toughened skin. Squeezing his shoulder before raising herself up, Kurenai heaved a sigh as their comrades vanquished the last of Hiruko's chimeric battalion.

"You should tell her soon, my friend. Tenten... Even if she does not fall in battle during the war... even if she doesn't get fatally poisoned by using the Bashosen as warned... she deserves to know who her parents were, even if you do feel that the past should stay in the past."


	98. Chapter 98

**Part 10: AGhast from the Past (3)**

_"Ah, Ibiki. You're here."_

_The tall, swathing figure stepped purposefully into the Hokage's musty office, his irises dilating to adapt to the abrupt change in light intensity. Having just returned from a particularly intense mission with high-octane psychic battles that had worn out several of the Tokubetsu Jounins under his charge, Konoha's highly revered and greatly feared ANBU interrogator had been summoned almost immediately. Slightly intrigued by the Hokage's desire to meet him once he had set foot into the village, Ibiki knew instinctively that this meeting had little to do with his team's arduous task, one that, despite countless perils and numerous obstacles that had stretched over the past few weeks, had been been met with resounding success._

_"Take a seat, Ibiki."_

_The man took a few seconds to eye the wizened speaker cautiously, noting that the latter had addressed his name twice in less than half a minute. Duly concerned, he kept his gaze on the Hokage's solemn face as he obeyed, sitting at the edge of this seat. The older man's lines seemed deeper than before, the creases on his forehead more pronounced, the few liver spots on his dull skin seemingly darker._

_Sarutobi Hiruzen closed his eyes momentarily as he took yey another deep puff from his well-used pipe. As Konohagakure's Sandaime Hokage breathed the cloying scent in and exhaled with a satiated sigh, he mentally took in Ibiki's fervent gaze, as smouldering as the smoke lingering in the room._

_"The ANBU… some of the ANBU ninja that I sent…They found Nono… Yakushi Nono."_

_The shudder that swept through Morino Ibiki's hardened exterior was not missed by Hiruzen, who continued staring at the younger man's rugged, emotionless facade. Notorious for openly displaying his belief that physical and psychological pain was an effective form of communication, which he employed whenever he carried out his duties of torture and interrogation, it was a tad disconcerting to notice such a visible reaction with the mere mention of one name. The Third Hokage lowered his head as he sighed deeply, taking another puff before he continued to baffle the other man with his confounding revelation._

_"Nono… she's barely alive… in a critical condition."_

_The clearly afflicted ANBU slumped back against the back of his chair, now fully understanding why he had been unconventionally proffered a seat in the Hokage's office. Swallowing the lump that had risen to his parched throat, Ibiki was suddenly conscious of how tightly he was gripping the sides of his wooden chair, his cracked knuckles draining of blood by the second and turning a ghostly white. The vivid image of a sisterly figure from long ago, a young woman with shoulder-length light brown hair and emerald green eyes adorned by circular glasses raced towards the forefront of his mind, currently burning an indelible imprint as wave after overwhelming wave of unquenchable pangs struck him squarely in the gut._

_Hiruzen's austere tone floated in and out of his consciousness, the Hokage seemingly inexorable to his sole audience member's growing distress; he continued droning about how the squad he had sent to retrieve information about the ex-captain of the Konoha Medic Corps and ex-Root ANBU member had returned with invaluable intel after so many years of fruitless hunting. Apparently, Hiruzen's men had been one step too late, for they had discovered her severely wounded and comatose after a particularly flagitious assault, now under the care of the Iwagakure ninja who had rescued her._

_"I'm afraid Danzo got to her first."_

_Attempting to appear as composed as he could, the commanding officer of the Konoha Torture and Interrogation Force could only grind his teeth at this bloodcurdling revelation - the startling mention of Shimura Danzo's involvement chilled him to the bone and caused him to reel in undisguised consternation. Creator and leader of Root, the Konohagakure elder and Hiruzen's most vehement challenger had gained notoriety for his frequent unsanctioned actions and his often-suspected undermining of specific Konoha personnel. Under the pretext of acting in what he believed were Konoha's best interests, Danzo often took the village's more clandestine operations and created the ANBU subsidiary, Root._

_"Danzo? Wasn't he… wasn't Nono… one of his… one of Danzo's most trusted aides in Root?"_

_Ibiki's first words since he entered the dim room might have been spoke in his usual deep baritone, but Hiruzen could still detect the slight quiver that betrayed his bewilderment. Among a select few in Konoha, it was a known fact that the jounin-level kunoichi had been one of Danzo's first selected Root members, acclaimed for her expertise in both medical ninjutsu and the area of intelligence gathering._

_"She left his organisation, remember? Even before we officially disbanded Root, she defected from him and started her orphanage," came the senior man's chastened reply, his voice adopting a more muted decibel. "And we all know Danzo and his sense of righteousness… his sense of… loyalty. He'd never forget anyone whom he feels has … betrayed him… betrayed Root… betrayed Konoha."_

_The Hokage brought his body forward slightly, light reflecting off his pronounced cheekbones and even the wart on his nose, as if to get his point across even more clearly, before ominously pronouncing, "And I do mean … anyone."_

_Ibiki's eyes blazed with fury as they bore into Hiruzen's own subdued irises, his brows furrowing as he absorbed the village leader's intended message, that he was no longer talking about Nono. His heart was pounding in his ears as years of hope and endless yearning seemed to be abruptly imploding from within his clouded mind, overwhelming his better judgment and usual indomitable demeanour as he too leaned forward and held on to the table in front of him. He heard Hiruzen heave a soft sigh as his eyes glued themselves shut, feeling moisture seep through his lids as he managed to stammer, "What else… what else did they… did your men… uncover? Give it to me straight, please, Hokage. I… I need to know… I need to know for certain."_

_It took a few moments for the response to come, but when it did, it was filled with the deepest sympathy and commiseration. "I'm sorry, Ibiki. Our worst fears about ... her... about her fate ...were not unfounded after all."_

_Frozen in that awkward position of him bending over his lap, the ANBU's chest heaved in exertion as Hiruzen attempted to make it sound as painless as he could, an impossible endeavour since it was evident that the subject matter was one that had remained in Ibiki's waking memory for countless days and endless nights. _

_"One of the ANBU I sent, managed to retrieve some of Nono's memories from her deep sleep, though her mind was already quite obviously manipulated by Danzo's machinations. Some of these memories and the notes we found on her... they displayed Nono's own investigations and findings... They displayed how... How Danzo's men hunted her down... How they killed her and her Iwa husband, a few years after she defected from Konoha. By the time Nono learnt all these, it was already a few months after their demise."_

_Ibiki sank back against the back of his seat again, as he raised his ashen face toward his leader. Clad in his full-length red Hokage kimono and still with the pipe in his mouth, while his hat and haori were hung just a metre away, Hiruzen's seniority and position were in almost full ostentation. Yet, there was little doubt that Ibiki's following bold words were filled with depraved impudence, his brazen voice adopting such a churlish tone that even the two guards outside the door shuffled uncomfortably in their sandals._

_"You can't even say her name, can you, Hokage? After all these years, you... You haven't forgiven her... You still think that she did betray the village, despite all the truths that we have uncovered? Despite how I got all these?"_

_In a flash, Ibiki's black bandana was whipped off his head, unveiling the burn and slash marks on his hairless skull, creepily coupled with actual punctures from where screws were physically used. At the same instance, he brought his imposing figure right up, standing as if his impassioned speech would intimidate his listener._

_"We were both tortured, sir! Both of us went through hell, and we betrayed nothing to Iwa! After all these years, you still believe she betrayed us, just like how that dastardly Danzo does! She's dead, Hokage! You are now telling me that... that she's really gone... that she's been dead for years! Why can't you even say her name, damn it!"_

_Hiruzen closed his eyes again, as his commanding officer raised his voice in clear indignation and obvious distress, thoughts flitting and buzzing in his own mind. When he met Ibiki's febrile eyes again, he stood up from his chair as well, ignoring how his own stature was that much shorter and smaller than the august interrogator._

_"You're certain you didn't feel betrayed by her when she abandoned Konoha for another man, Ibiki? You're certain that you did not feel betrayed by Miyame Gekkou at all?"_

_The perspiration that had pooled with his tears dripped off his sharp jawline, hitting the floor in the dramatic, tense silence that followed for the next minute. His fists clenched, his heart racing, he felt his body trembling as he fought to regain some of his lost composure. Though he had just chastised the older ninja, he was thrown off his trajectory by actually hearing Hiruzen spout the name of his teammate's older sister, the name of one he had harboured romantic feelings for ever since he was a young teen._

_"Even her own brother, Hayate...your friend, your comrade... has indicated that Miyame..."_

_"Hayate's felt this way about his sister only because he couldn't accept her falling for an Iwa-nin!" came Ibiki's blunt, boisterous retort, his temper flaring at this sickeningly torturous conversation. "He couldn't stand that his sister's fallen for the enemy, that she ... that she actually chose to defect from Konoha... but he's never admitted that Miyame sold us out... that she betrayed our village! Never!"_

_"Ibiki... Our intel..."_

_"Your intel's wrong, Hokage!" the incensed man flared his nostrils, utterly aggravated by how their normally clandestine talks and discussions about missions and village operations had taken such an ugly turn that day. "Miyame's always been courageous and would never break under pressure. You have to believe me!"_

_Sandaime Hokage spluttered a little as he shook his head in exasperation, mainly because he had not even got to his actual topic yet. He turned his back to Ibiki for a few moments, his shoulders sagging in weariness as he ruffled his robes while facing the wall. When he turned around again, the acerbity in his countenance was explicit, as his vocal chords formed jarring words that, for the umpteenth time that early afternoon, shook Morino Ibiki's core._

_"Is that why you took Miyame's child into the village even without Hayate's knowledge and secretly placed her in the orphanage, Ibiki? Is that why you took in Tenten?"_


	99. Chapter 99

**Part 10: AGhast from the Past (4)**

_"Thank you so much, Yami-chan! We really wouldn't know what we'd do without your help! _Arigato_!"_

_As every other day, the woman at the receiving end of such a profuse offering of gratitude simply tilted her head to the right with a genial smile, before extending her hands to accept the basket of leftovers that she would bring home for dinner with her husband. She could sense once again, that the other woman was genuinely attempting to strike a conversation with her, but all she did as usual was to get a hold of the basket handle and firmly tug it away. The middle-aged owner of the orphanage felt colour rising to her ruddy cheeks, blinking in awkward silence before tentatively shutting the wooden door._

_The woman who had been addressed as Yami stepped away briskly from the doorway, swallowing slightly at the obvious hurt that had been plastered on the older female's face. Feeling the warmth of her own cheek as she tucked strands of her dark brown her behind her left ear, she shuffled her way towards the direction of home, reminding herself that no matter how much she would like to make connections, it was impossible and unwise to bond even with someone she met and interacted with on a daily basis. There was no telling how long she would be taking residence in this village anyway; already she was making mile-long shuttles between her hut at the outskirts and the orphanage that she helped out at everyday. _

_As she raised her brown eyes to the diminishing sun rays, the evening sky glittering with unhidden stars and the appearance of a gibbous moon, the dampness on the faded sleeve on her right shoulder sent a jolt of pertinence through her tingling body. While attending to a toddler consumed by a severe bout of food poisoning earlier in the day, she had had to wrap her in her warm embrace for several hours, time that, while considerably well-spent and meaningful, enflamed her tortured mind with agonisingly vivid memories of her own child, of her very own flesh and blood. The tenacious resolve that she had armed herself with every new place she went to, had been utterly disintegrated that afternoon, as her own tears flowed as freely as the sick child's._

_A whiff of the familiar, slightly malodorous stench emerging from the nearby murky stream, signaled the proximity of her home. Shaking her head to rouse herself from her dazed stupor, the woman inhaled deeply as she placed the laden basket down on the ground, intending to regain her composure fully before actually reaching home. Patting her fair skin with some stream water to remove any trace of her earlier crying spree, she found herself unconsciously braiding her tresses into a bun on the left side of her head. She froze momentarily when she caught herself halfway, before slowly, tentatively, finishing the task. Her heartbeat accelerated a little as she continued fashioning the second bun, and actually heaved a deep sigh of relief thereafter. Shutting her eyes for just a second, a strange sense of thrill coursed through her veins._

_Perhaps, just for a while, she could let herself, be herself. She really needed that that night, even if it was just for a few hours._

_Once she turned around, her legs sprang alive as they instinctively propelled her entire being a few metres back, chakra instantaneously transferred to the soles of her sandaled feet and allowing her to perch on the water's surface, ever ready to pounce. The female felt her facial muscles tense up all at once, forming an instinctive snarl as her brown irises burned with fiery intent. She held her predatory pose only for two swift seconds, for she found herself glaring into the dark eyes of a young boy. The intruder barely portrayed any shock at the woman's speedy and fulminant reaction; instead his eyes drew into cheery slits as he put on a spirited, sanguine facade. _

_"Hi there, Miss. I seem to have gotten lost while playing hide-and-seek with my friends. Is there any way I can trouble you just for one evening? I'm famished and I haven't eaten anything the whole day."_

_She felt her cheeks flush again, this time in mild embarrassment, as she recollected herself; her overreaction must have appeared utterly risible and ludicrous in the presence of this lad, barely ten years of age, probably even younger. Perhaps she had been edgy the whole day, but the boy's sprightly disposition despite being lost seemed to be exerting a calming effect on her. Clad in black clothes, his short black hair and dark eyes contrasted greatly with his very pale skin. Nodding mutely as she hastened her steps, she beckoned for him to follow her wordlessly. As she retrieved her dinner basket, suddenly stricken that she was indeed very late for dinner and that her husband must be overcome by anxiety, she noticed a book lying on the wet grass, flipped open to display the centerfold of a drawing of two boys holding hands. _

_And the two boys had shuriken and blade handles strapped to their backs._

_"_Choujuu Giga_!"_

_The few seconds that she had used to pick up both the basket and the innocent-looking picture book were now proving to be her discomfiture, for behind her ragged self, the boy had released several ink-like creatures from a scroll that he had whipped out of nowhere. The moment his brush was removed from his scroll, the chakra-infused ink that had been used caused the images he had drawn to leap from the paper and grow to full-size. The trio of bats that flew out rushed straight to her face to blind her, while the Chinese Lions that burst forth wasted little time in sending her toppling to the ground with brute force._

_"_Gen'ei Tajuu Shuriken_!"_

_Even when temporarily incapacitated, even when her defences had been brought down, the female was quick to retaliate with her own scrolls and impressive _fuinjutsu_ skills. Without the need for any other collaborators or hand seals, corporeal replicas of the shuriken that had been so swiftly unsealed filled the air, spinning furiously towards their sole target under the command of their currently amaurotic summoner. The woman's frenzied mind was whirling out of disconcertion, as this was the closest that the organisation that had been hunting her had got. The Multiple Phantom Shuriken technique allowed her to dispel her ink attackers quickly enough, even though she had already been grievously injured. Rolling herself away from more of her assailant's Super Beast Imitating Drawing techniques, the female summoned two gleaming katana blades, grasping them tightly as she readied herself for a heated battle. _

_"The blood you smell, is not mine, nor your own... Miss."_

_She felt the blood in her arteries and veins glaciate, and a numbing chill devour her bones, as her heightened senses finally detected a faint coppery scent lingering in the air. Turning her head sharply towards the stream, she witnessed the strapping figure of her husband floating downstream, his once robust torso viciously hacked and torn apart, his muscular blacksmith arms cleanly cleaved apart from the shoulders. _

_The body was also missing its head._

_"_Sumi Bunshin no Jutsu_."_

_The boy's dozen ink clones that surrounded the disheveled, screaming woman were disposed off easily enough, her _kenjutsu_ abilities, even in her beaten and devastated state, alarmingly advanced and well-versed. Each strike was accompanied by a frenetic cry, each slash was partnered with a maniacal wail. By the time the actual assailant got behind her and slit her throat with his tanto, he himself had several cuts on various parts of his young body, despite how he had used his Ink Clone Technique and his ink-beasts for protection and attacks. _

_"Hmmm... First solo assassination... A success! Danzo would be pleased."_

_The young lad nonchalantly wiped the warm trail caressing his nape, barely even wincing as his finger grazed the open wound a across his cheek. As he placed his book back into the folds of his clothes, he noticed some pieces of paper lying around the new corpse, whose eyes were still strained and deathly opened._

_"Hmph... Smart woman. She intentionally slashed this photograph in the midst of battle to such minute pieces that it's almost impossible to repair it. There... there's something else she wanted to hide after all. Not bad, Miyame Gekkou."_


	100. Chapter 100

**Part 10: AGhast from the Past (5)**

_"_Gen'ei Tajuu Fuuma Shuriken_!"_

_Dozens of large four-bladed shuriken, each and every single one possessing pre-eminent sharpness and lethality, hovered ominously as the languorous sun rays bounced off their whetted razor edges. Previously a tool emblematic of the aggressive Fuuma clan, the use of this renowned weapon had spread throughout the shinobi world, appreciated by those versed in weaponry for its cutting prowess and ability to be brandished as a melee weapon as well. To witness this stupendous amount of gigantic rotating blades whirring in the air in their looming intimidatory essence was boggling even for one as worldly as Konoha's top interrogator, to be on hand to personally envisage them multiplying as they were commanded to replicate and spin in unison towards their targets blew his currently scourged and provoked mind._

_"You... you taught her that?" Ibiki's eyes remained affixed on the enthralling scene unfolding in front of him on a dusky morning, his barely audible whisper pressing and exigent, his addled mind struggling to cope with the staggering pieces of information dealt out flatly to him barely an hour since he returned home. "You're telling me... you were the one who... who actually taught her this technique personally?"_

_The Third Hokage cleared his dry throat of some non-existent phlegm as he stole a glimpse at the imposing figure clad in his trademark long black coat. On the shady, far-fetched pretext of making his rounds around the village, Hiruzen had brought his younger companion to a training field where a young girl in her sleeveless pink top and green pants was currently honing her _fuinjutsu_ and _bukijutsu_ techniques. Already utterly devastated by the Hokage's revelation about the fates of the bespectacled kunoichi whom he had respected as a sibling, and another from whom he had suffered the agony of unrequited affections, Ibiki was now even more flustered than ever that a secret he thought he had kept for years had been so glaringly exposed. _

_"How... Why... and when did you know... did you find out about her... about the girl's ... parentage?"_

_Scoffing slightly at the notion that something like this would escape his reach, the aged Sarutobi divulged that he had first taken notice of the girl's sense of accuracy back at the academy, where, an afternoon after being teased and hectored by mean-spirited kids, she demonstrated alarming skills for one so young by impaling target board after target board and tearing them apart with projectile ninja tools. _

_"At that point of time, I didn't really speculate much or make any link... but I did keep Tenten under my radar for some time after that," the Hokage drawled, seemingly luxuriating in his story-telling prospect. "However, when I arranged for Guy to take her under his wing, he reported after a few weeks that Tenten was displaying an extremely unique ability for ninja tools and _fuinjutsu_. She actually managed to subdue him with weapons she had stored in her scrolls within a month or two of training, and that just showed..."_

_"Answer my question, Hokage. When... when did you actually start teaching her your _Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_? Did you... did you tell her the truth? That Miyame is... that her mother was Miyame?"_

_Hiruzen's thin brows met as his creased forehead furrowed even further, adopting a hushed, more austere tone as he leaned slightly back. "Do you see me as a fool, my dear Chief Inspector? Don't you think how I know Danzo operates... how he carries out his conniving plans... how, if he learns that the daughter of someone he's been hunting for vengeance was residing in his backyard, he would waste no time in either killing her or worse, recruiting her into his Root operations?"_

_Ibiki bit his tongue and tried to rein in his turbulent emotions; learning of Miyame's demise, no matter how much heartache he had suffered due to broken promises and unreciprocated feelings, was turning his rigidly structured world topsy turvy and making the thoughts rampage through his mind in a helter-skelter manner. While he had always felt oppugnant that the _Sandaime_ being unwilling to accept the insistence that the Gekkou kunoichi had not committed treason despite their vehement protests - a situation later exacerbated by the discovery of her torrid affair with one of Iwagakure's top civilian spies - underneath his virulent exterior, he knew well in his heart that Sarutobi Hiruzen would never do anything to viciously harm anyone within his purview, even if someone had committed a grievous crime. Though it was supposed to be a hushed topic, many Jounins and Chunins were aware of how their respected village leader had actually allowed the perfidious Orochimaru to escape from the hands of justice despite his insidiously petrifying treachery in kidnapping test subjects for his atrocious quest to gain immortality. At the same time though, generations of Konoha ninja had benefitted from his wisdom due to his masterly leadership, even if he was only ever directly the teacher of the legendary Sannin._

_Since the distressing conversation in the Hokage's office, Ibiki's frazzled nerves had not been allowed to recover, not been allowed to abate by even a fraction. Hiruzen's questions about his involvement in taking in Miyame's daughter had thrown him totally him off guard and rendered him wide-eyed and speechless for a good minute or two. Wordlessly, he had been led to the field to be presented with the girl whose mother had broken his fragile heart, the girl whom he had rescued from the entrance of the village after receiving a frantically scribbled note. _

_As the dewy atmosphere groaned almost inaudibly under the pressure of the frenzied metal, the following onslaught was nowhere as silent; with shrubs and trees being torn off from their roots or splintered right in the middle of their sturdy trunks, the morning air was subsequently ripped apart by the discordant cacophony. As if laying waste to a farthest end of the training field was not adequate, the Fuuma Shuriken were allowed just a moment's reprieve before they were jerked back to life and sent wheeling upwards again._

_"What... what's she..." _

_Emitting a slight chuckle at the Tokubetsu Jounin's dumbstruck exclamation, the bearded man replied with a hint of pride and admiration in his voice, "Chakra strings, almost invisible to the eye. Well, I certainly didn't teach her that, and I don't recall Miyame pulling off such a stunt too. No... based on what Guy said about Tenten's love for analysis and exploration with ninja tools, I believe she came up with this secondary bout on her own. And to answer your question, I didn't actually teach her the Shuriken Shadow Clone technique."_

_Ibiki's beseeching eyes were now turned to face the old man, his focus of interest having powered down and now taking a breather, her prodigious star-blades either lying slovenly around just like their owner, or sticking out meritoriously from the grassy earth. With Ibiki having erected a simple psychic barrier, the men were safe from detection by the enervated girl. Hiruzen's voice droned on about how he had satiated his curiosity by attending one of Team Guy's madly intensive training sessions and given a simple demonstration of some of his shuriken techniques. Tenten's eyes had shone with wonder and veneration and begged for tips to enhance the volume of the ninja tools stored in her scrolls. _

_"I gave her some advice verbally, but I never expected..." _

_Whether it was for dramatic effect or out of genuine trepidation, the Hokage's words trailed off as his mien turned from hearty to grim. When his eyes met Ibiki's, they were filled with a quiet austerity, galvanising the interrogator's pulse once again._

_"When I came here to spy on Tenten two days later, she was already able to pull off what she did today with normal shuriken. Her Multiple Phantom Shuriken technique, unlike mine, requires no use of the Shadow Clone technique but its principle of multiplying a small amount of shuriken remains the same. What is notable... what is extraordinary... is that this is normally a collaborative technique with a few users, and the formation of hand seals is usually required, but what she's done, the way Tenten's adapted what I taught her... is very similar to what Miyame used to be able manifest with her _fuinjutsu_ abilities."_

_Stupefied, Ibiki gritted his teeth as he lowered his head at the mention of his beloved. Though he was a few batches after her, Miyame's dexterity as a swordswoman was already quite reputed by the time he became teammates with Hayate as a Genin, since the Gekkou siblings came from a long line of _kenjutsu_ experts. What distinguished her from her family was how she expanded her repertoire beyond the katana and took an avid interest in experimenting with other ninja tools. Later, as Ibiki would acridly discover, it was their common fervour for weapons that drew Miyame to Iwagakure's top blacksmith during one of her missions, their profound passion vivifying itself into a blossoming relationship._

_"Somehow, Tenten seems to have inherited her mother's... her parents' devotion to weaponry," Hiruzen's voice retained its low, overwrought tone, causing Ibiki's senses to prickle yet again. "If someone tells him... if Danzo hears of this... that we have a mysteriously orphaned Genin who is exhibiting skills and techniques somewhat similar to a Konoha kunoichi he killed several years back, a kunoichi whom he believed betrayed the village and married an Iwa man... we can expect some form of investigation... and definitely trouble from him."_

_Ibiki nodded unconsciously in congruity and accession, tasting the bitterness in his dry mouth that whimsically triggered a reminder of the need to brush his teeth as soon as he could. Though Hiruzen's words were indeed bafflingly unsettling and laden with a stark sense of urgency, his paradigmatic grit and resoluteness were aroused again, the fire burning in his belly as his mind automatically, immediately sought out ways to counter Danzo's ineluctably imminent threat._

_"Tenten... this girl... she matters to you, doesn't she? Even though she's Miyame's child with another man, you've been watching over her ever since you brought her to Sumi's orphanage. I'm surprised you didn't raise hell when I arranged for her to be in Guy's team."_

_The Hokage's eyes were now twinkling with amusement, and Ibiki's visibly relaxed stance allowed him to return his jocundity with a gruff snort and his trademark sneer. Deep in his heart, he now knew that the Third Hokage was firmly on Miyame's and his side; no matter how maddening and vexatious Konoha's self-proclaimed Sublime Green Beast of Prey could be, Ibiki was well aware of how fiercely loyal and deeply passionate _Maito Gai_ was, and would do anything for the well-being of those under his charge. _

_"It's good that she's in Guy's team. With his expertise in _taijutsu_ and _bukijutsu_, I'm sure the child... I'm sure Tenten will benefit," Ibiki responded, taking in a deep breath as he realised that he was actually verbally speaking the girl's name for the first time. "I... I can't... With my position, it'll be unwise to... Having her with me makes little sense and will only raise more suspicion."_

_Hiruzen concurred with a slight nod as he looked at the distant figure again, still sprawled across the grass and squealing in unrestrained felicity at the immensity of the ruinous wreck she had created around the arena. Lamenting briefly that his trusty ANBU Tenzou would probably complain about having to resurrect the decimated area with his Wood Release once again, _Sandaime_ then raised his head to stare at the towering figure while placing a hand on the latter's broad shoulder. _

_"Some are already talking about Guy's team, since he also has Hyuuga Neji under him. And since Tenten's proficiency with ninja tools had already been displayed to some degree in the academy, her stark rise in developing her unique _bukitjutsu_ repertoire in the past few months is also garnering some attention. I'm quite certain if Hayate wasn't out on his mission with Yuugao and Genma for the last few weeks, his suspicions would already have been aroused. Let me reiterate that what she's demonstrated today with her Fuuma Shuriken is a big deal for a kunoichi her age."_

_He closed his lids momentarily before revealing what he had wanted to tell Ibiki, his main objective of this morning's fomenting conversation. _

_"For Tenten's safety, Team Guy will not be participating in the next Chunin exams as planned. I've convinced him to bring his apprentices out of Konoha for their training for a few months to a year."_

_Though he was initially taken aback by his words, when he had registered them fully, Ibiki could find no flaw in Hiruzen's plans. The morning's divulgements and proclamations were now finally all making much sense to him, and once again he was being overwhelmed by his leader's astute wisdom. Even at his age, the Hokage was always displaying his keen and perceptive mind, proving to others why he was not hailed as the God of Shinobi or the Professor for nothing, and that he sincerely believed that Konoha's next generations were a precious resource and should always be protected. Something was still nagging at the back of his mind however, but even as he spoke, he knew once his words were blurted out that he had asked a fatuous and asinine question. He could no longer suppress a loud chortle when Hiruzen flashed him a look of annoyance and rolled his eyes in response, _

_"We are talking about Guy here! How would he remember Miyame when she's not been around for years? You know him and his goldfish memory. Besides, apart from the wild parties you little runts used to have, I don't think the two interacted much."_

_Ibiki actually felt the blood drain from his face instantaneously before he started coughing awkwardly. Just before he turned around to proffer a sheepish grin to acknowledge the open secret, he was aghast to find that he was staring into empty space, Sandaime's spot suddenly vacated with nary a puff of smoke, probably with the alert man utilising the high-speed Body Flicker technique. Ibiki was unceremoniously stunned almost immediately after with a curt and surly, "What are you doing here?" right behind him._

_A young boy dressed in a khaki shirt, dark brown shorts and blue shinobi sandals was peering at him from under the black forehead protector fitted snugly over above his visibly iris-less white eyes. The black hair that he wore loose and long over his shoulders amplified the dark and stern glower plastered on his pale skin, and for a second or two, Ibiki was palpably stumped. Hyuuga Neji narrowed his eyes and unfolded his arms, his thin lips drawn tight and taut, repeating his question without the need to verbalise it. _

_"I'm... well, I'm a friend of your _sensei's_... and I've just returned from a long mission..."_

_"Yes, you certainly do reek of it," came the curt interruption. "And the first thing you've decided to do is to come here and spy on my female teammate? Using your feeble barrier?"_

_The blunt and peremptory retort, though scaldingly provocative, did little to stir Ibiki's anger. After having his defences broken earlier by upsetting news and thwarted plans, ANBU's critically acclaimed and illustrious interrogator, master of psychological manipulation, was now resuming his reputed poise, simply responding the insolent youth with an upward turn of his lips._

_"I learnt of Guy's plans to leave Konoha for a while to train his young Genins, so I was hoping to see if I could catch him before he does. Someone told me he trains early with his team here but I didn't want to distract your teammate from her training."_

_The hardened scowl remained unfettered, but just as Neji walked away from the Jounin, he gruffly snapped, "We're leaving Konoha at noon today, that's why we're not supposed to be training this morning but the other two idiots are already doing laps around the village. I came to get this silly girl before she wears herself out and goes on the whole journey whining about how tired she is."_

_Without turning back to look at him, the child prodigy halted his steady stride and proclaimed, "And I don't even need to use my _Byakugan_ now to know that you're lying, Ibiki Morino. That was the lamest excuse ever."_

_The chastised man observed the youth in mild amusement mixed with awe for a minute, as he hollered at the euphoric girl, whose beatific grin expressed how excited she was about the team's upcoming trip and her progress this morning. As she chattered ebulliently and pulled her irked teammate to admire her calamitous handiwork, Ibiki raised his marked face to the warm rays of the brightening sky while turning away from the field, whispering, "I've done the right thing by naming your daughter Tenten, Miyame. Her future will be as luminous as the heavens above, with the skills and abilities that she's inherited from her mother."_

_Neji Hyuuga felt a strange warmth rising to his wan cheeks as Tenten continued wrapping her bare arms around his torso while jostling him forward, all the while gushing and squealing feverishly about how she was going to do her best to live up to her idol the Sannin Tsunade's name. Before he could untangle himself from her lanky frame however, his heightened senses descried yet another presence lurking around the arena, apart from the stalwart Tokubetsu Jounin who was suddenly departing from the scene hurriedly as if unwilling to communicate with the duo any further. _

_He activated his Byakugan an instant too late, for within the next split second, it seemed that the presence had completely vanished from the vicinity; unlike the Third Hokage using _Shunshin no Jutsu_ to traverse a long distance instantaneously, this disappearance was different. Slightly unnerved, Neji patrolled the periphery with his _dojutsu Kekkei Genkai_, all the while in his teammate's unsuspecting, effervescent hugs. Disgruntled at the failure to detect his suspected target, he detached himself from the girl's effusive grasp and pulled her begrudgingly out of the field, chiding her for not even fashioning her hair into her signature hair-buns before her target practice._

_A distance away, the male youth who had dispelled his reconnaissance __ink clone just a minute ago wore an expressionless face as he stayed shrouded in the shadows of a gray chimney. There was something familiar about the young girl based on the observation of his clone, about the way she was practising her skills in the field, but he just could not place a finger on it at that moment._

_Perhaps it would be timely to pay closer attention and gather more information after all, before he reported back to Shimura Danzo and his Root ANBU organisation. _


	101. Chapter 101

**Part 10: AGhast from the Past (6)**

"Get clear! He's in the ground!"

Less than three seconds after the augural warning was barked, the ground was wrenched apart by an explosive force that sent rock and earth chunks flying all over; some shinobi were blown apart from the detonative impact while others were brutally crushed by the ricocheting debris. The figure standing in the middle of this cataclysm howled deliriously in his celebratory convulsions, surrounded by thick black clouds of smoke, proclaiming gleefully that being resurrected so many times was making him more bloodthirsty than ever.

"Come and destroy me again, you pathetic creatures! Each time my body gets revived, I'll kill another hundred of you!"

Kumogakure's Omoi, apprentice of _Jinchuuriki_ Killer Bee, cursed inwardly as his ears were pierced by the shrill wails ringing around the battlefield. A fierce glare from Maki a few yards away bade him to stay hidden behind even though he was all fired up to take point again with his newly acquired blades. The dark-skinned youth, with his shock of white spiky hair, peered from behind a charred tree trunk as the _Edo_ _Tensei_ resurrection continued pummeling the alliance soldiers with his erratically explosive punches.

As his patience waned and adrenaline surged, he caught himself reflecting on how contemptibly caitiff he had been just the day before, before the Fourth Shinobi War mounted to such unpropitious proportions for the alliance. The battles that he had fought within the past day had elevated both his repository and his beliefs in fighting for the greater good, and right now, he just wanted to stop the endless massacre by the the remaining zombies once and for all. He eyed the protective dome erected by Maki as she and her fellow Suna sealers stayed close by, understanding fully well that they had to be totally precise and circumscribed in their timing if their plan was to work.

"It's useless, little girl," came the overbearingly imperious growl, the volume and decibel indicating that the arrogant zombie was approaching Maki's location. "You've tried countless times to seal me with that useless cloth of yours and even if you use it now to protect your comrades for a while, you can't outrun my explosions forever."

"We aren't afraid of you, Gari!" the bold female Suna retorted, standing her ground even as a few sealers retreated a few steps. "We will fight to our deaths if we have to, but we will stop you!"

"You're already all dead, you wench!" the former leader of Iwagakure's Explosion Corps, master of the rare _Bakuton Kekkei Genkai_, roared in unveiled enmity as he started forward with his fists clenched. "Prepare to take your last breath!"

"_Raitou Jutsu: Rakurai_!"

Previously handled by Ameruyi Ringo, the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist zombie he had fought and finally subdued, the slim and straight lightning-imbued double-edged twin blades were now raised over Omoi's head like birch rods; somehow the Kirigakure kunoichi zombie had taken a liking to him and presented the prized swords to him before sinking into quicksand. He was now using these Kiba swords to summon a bolt of lightning from the sky, literally shocking Gari's entire body in his place. Gathering that the resurrected Edo hailed from Iwagakure and that he was using some _Doton_ techniques as well, the group had hastily decided to first temporarily paralyse him with some form of Raiton attack.

"_Ura Renge_!"

Once the heavens opened and released that straight bolt of crackling blue energy to incapacitate the iniquitous depravity, a green blur blitzed out of nowhere and charged straight at the electrocuted Gari, his fearsome Landmine Fists rendered inconsequential for now. With four of eight Hachimon chakra gates opened, the increased blood flow had turned the user's skin a coppery red, almost unnoticeable by the astounded observers at the moment since he was moving at such unbelievable speed. Rock Lee's first destructive kick catapulted Gari's hapless form straight into the smoky air before he launched himself at his hovering victim.

All Omoi could see was Gari's punctured body floating in mid-air as a green obscurity kept using different landing points to bounce back and forth at inhumanly blinding speeds. Awestruck, he gaped openly as Lee finally became more visible; he struck Gari's inert body with a decisively final open-handed blow and kick at the same time, sending him crashing to the ground from at least thirty feet above.

"_Fuinjutsu: Koshi Tandan_!"

Once Maki removed the protective cloth dome that had been hiding Sai from view while he prepared his Tiger Vision Staring Bullet sealing technique, a gigantic tiger extended from his scroll and pounced immediately on the Edo zombie. Still connected to the scroll, the tiger drawing captured its prey with its razor-sharp teeth and claws, before dragging the entirely immobilised Iwa back into the confines of the scroll.

The Root member expelled a grateful sigh as he rolled his scroll tightly up at once, amidst victorious cheers that now echoed through the forested area. He managed a sheepish grin as both Omoi and Maki jumped at him and hugged him in wondrous jubilation, letting their hair down just for those few moments and basking in their youthful paroxysms.

"My friends! We must not stop here! Let us charge forward with our power of youth and proceed to seal Pakura next!"

Though powered down, Lee was already prancing ahead, focused on hunting down the female Edo who was also creating intense havoc for the Third Division. Staring mutely at their swiftly departing comrade with widened eyes before furrowing their brows and nodding steadfastly, the squad mates got to their feet and followed Konoha's bushy browed Noble Blue Beast.

Hitching his hefty scroll to his back, Sai was actually whistling as he recounted how exultant he had felt to be acknowledged by his peers. Ever since his dramatically histrionic encounter with his reincarnated brother Shin the previous day during his time with the Ambush Squad, he realised that his personality had indeed changed. Though he had learnt substantial lessons about relationships and bonds from his fellow Team 7 members, it was actually feeling the consuming rage to learn how his dead brother was being used as a living bomb by the Akatsuki zombies that he knew that his Root mental conditioning and training by the late Danzo Shimura had irrevocably been erased. It had been much easier to have all his emotions suppressed while in Root, since all Danzo needed was the members' loyalty but not their feelings so they could accomplish dangerous and unethical missions without a hitch.

Just as he was about to follow his fellow combatants, a stray glimpse caught the sight of a fallen Kirigakure kunoichi lying lifelessly on the ground with something clutched in her limp hand. The red-haired young woman, with a distinctive birth mark on her left cheek, had died with her eyes open, and Sai did something so uncharacteristic that he actually froze for a while after helping to close her eyelids while mumbling a prayer.

It was within those moments that a sad curiosity was pricked and he removed the photograph from her hand. He stared at the picture for a while, identifying the kunoichi by the birth mark, noticing that she was a fair bit younger back then when this photo was taken. What was striking was how she now bore an uncanny resemblance to the older woman in the picture, who had to be her mother then, judging by how close the family seemed. An unfamiliar notion of regret stirred within him, and he heaved another deep sigh of sympathy.

That was when an errant thought percussed his senses and knocked him to his butt as his knees gave way. He glanced at the dead kunoichi and her photograph again and again, as long forgotten memories buffeted past erected barriers and now resurfaced so explosively that the young man felt his unusually pale face grow more pallid than usual.

It was only at that moment, in the middle of war, that Sai finally managed to place a finger on why Tenten had seemed so familiar back when he was spying on her at the training field.


	102. Chapter 102

**Part 10: AGhast from the Past (7)**

Yamanaka Ino awoke with a start, her vivid dreams of the dark, nefarious minds of monstrous tailed beasts occupying her waking moments and causing her pale lips to quiver. As the clouded haze left her mind, she glanced around to find that most other shinobi were also catching their forty winks in the middle of their individual circles, apparently all thankful for the downtime and unperturbed about the blazing sun smoldering the vast area with its vengeful rays. While many had seemed spiteful at first about having to stay within a specific and limited periphery self carved with kunai, the current lull amidst the drowsy afternoon heat implied that the squads were all pretty receptive to the plan that Shikamaru had formulated.

It seemed forever ago that she and her peers were running around passing the message to the various lieutenants across the cliffs and plateaus, when it had just been the previous night. Since then, the young blonde had been embroiled in starkly jeopardous situations together with her friends, especially her contumaciously headstrong fellow kunoichi, who once again had to be putting herself in peril elsewhere, even though she was supposed to be right here in Division One, the unit where she had originally been placed in.

Ino tilted her head slightly upwards and heaved a sigh as she basked in the warm rays, chiding herself a little for still harbouring these callow thoughts when everyone's lives had been completely overhauled within night and day. As she caught a glimpse of Division Two's General Kitsuchi's bulbous nose, she was reminded that even she and her two other Team 10 members had not been placed in this division till their clans' expertise was greatly needed here to deal with Kinkaku's mindless rampage. Still, she remained inherently perturbed by the knowledge that Tenten was still in possession of the Bashosen, no matter that she had proven how she seemed no longer in danger of getting her life snuffed out quickly by using the ninja tool.

That was when her eyelids flew open and she raised herself quickly to her feet.

"What... what's wrong, Ino?"

The girl's intense blue eyes peering across the horizon stopped Shikamaru and Chouji from asking any further question, but they rose slowly to their feet as well, careful not to cause any alarm by pretending to stretch their limbs. A minute passed uneventfully until both male Konoha teens heard Ino in their heads, her voice impelling and clamant, the sense of urgency evident from her very first words.

"Something's wrong! I can sense a battle going on near us, and I think General Darui is in trouble! Shikamaru, I can't be certain at the moment but... but I thought I sensed... I thought I sensed Hiruko's presence! The one that Naruto took down, the one who summoned that chimera monster that Tenten vanquished with her _Soushoryuu_!"

The Nara teen whirled around to find Darui's circle empty, together with some of the division's top sensors who had been placed near him. By now, General Kitsuchi seemed to have caught on that something was wrong, his eyes staying firmly on the Ino-Shika-Cho trio.

"Even Izumo and Kotetsu aren't here as well," Shikamaru replied telepathically, with the Yamanaka's mind link providing the platform for them. "Ino, link our minds to General Kitsuchi. We need to rally up some troops quickly if it's really Hiruko!"

Elsewhere in the sprawling western coasts of the Land of Lightning, the battle that was being fought was like a mirror of the one that Rock Lee and his peers in Division Three had just managed to overcome at the forested areas near the Land of Frost.

"Get clear! He's in the ground!"

Less than three seconds after the augural warning was barked, the ground was wrenched apart by an explosive force that sent rock and earth chunks flying all over; some shinobi were knocked off their feet by the concussive force, while a few were hit by the ricocheting debris. The figure standing in the middle of this cataclysm howled deliriously in his celebratory convulsions, surrounded by thick black clouds of smoke, proclaiming heatedly that he would make their deaths as painless as possible.

"Give me Darui, and I will just end your lives quickly here! If not, I'll make sure you suffer from being slowly eaten alive by my chimera beasts! And I'll wipe out your whole division while I'm at it!"

Best friends Hagane Kotetsu and Kamizuki Izumo landed unsteadily, their limbs straddling the rocky ground in a feline-like manner as they held on tightly to their weapons. The latter took a quick glance to see that the Kirigakure kunoichi they were shielding, though visibly shaken from Hiruko's latest aggressive incursion, seemed to be trying to stay staunch and viable for battle.

"He seems to be targeting you too, girl, although he hasn't plainly said it," Kotetsu whispered through gritted teeth. "You've something he wants as well, so do steer clear from him as much as you can and stay behind us."

"I... I can help..." stammered the flustered blonde, blood draining from her cheeks as she quickly surmised that the malignant Edo had become aware of the kinjutsu that she had inherited and she was now putting her comrades in danger by stubbornly exposing herself. The few _Suiton_ techniques that she had pulled off had done little to affect Hiruko, only causing him to snicker at the pathetic splashes her water attacks made. "General D... our captain said... that his powers may be Katon-based, so..."

"I don't think it matters, little girl, and I don't mean to be mean," Kotetsu turned again and managed a wry smile, his nose wriggling under the bandage wrapped thinly across his face, his damp long spikes currently plastered to his head. "Based on the _Moguragakure no Jutsu_ that he pulled off... the fact that he can actually use his chakra to change earth into fine sand and dig through it like a mole may imply that he possesses _Doton_-based abilities as well."

"We don't know the extent of the bodies he's absorbed nor if _Bakuton_ and _Shakuton_ are all he knows. Look at how he connected to the earth just now... as if he was becoming one with it," added a perspiring Izumo as he remained fixated on the incendiary blasts that were occurring a short distance away, raising the atmosphere's temperature to unbearable degrees. "Right now only Mizuko and Bekkou seem to be able to hold him off with their Katon techniques but even then, I don't think they're going to affect him much. Mizuko's also warned us not to use any telepathic or _genjutsu_ techniques for now, since she can sense that Hiruko will be able to use them against us, so don't you dare try anything funny, Kotetsu."

The two Chunins' words caused Hotaru to lower herself back to a seated position behind them while they continued squatting and spying over a scorched boulder. Feeling a familiar rise of bile in her throat, she gulped down the lump and attempted her best to stem the impending tears that were threatening to fall. She knew that this was no time to shed childish tears but she was downright sick of feeling like an incompetent invalid, always dependent on others who were always invariably stronger. While she appreciated that she had somehow managed to win the Magaki Group over with her sincerity and courage, she was still often treated like a hapless victim due to her age and physical appearance.

The young kunoichi lurched forward slightly as thoughts of her teammates reminded her of the plans that had been concocted to keep Darui from harm in their impregnable barrier and also to deal with the maleficent villain. Izumo's words, while replaying in her mind however, were somehow triggering a fresh set of uncertainties within her; the bile rising in her oesophagus was no longer indicative of an emotional upheaval but rather that of an escalating sense of terror. Hesitating for just one more second as the alarm bells continued ringing clangorously in her disconcerted mind, Hotaru of the Tsuchigumo clan flung herself over the astonished Konoha duo, hollering madly for Benten and the rest not to approach the insane zombie, knowing fully well that they wouldn't be able to hear her from the other end of the rock-strewn battlefield.

"_Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu_!"

Mizuko had just managed to grab a disoriented Bekkou and propelled them both out of the Edo's conflagration _Shakuton_ orbs, when she caught a glimpse of the youngest combatant throw herself into the fray, performing a complicated series of hand seals that was now shaping a large amount of water into an gargantuan fearsome dragon that bulleted its way past the smoky horizon straight towards Hiruko. The Kumo sensor watched in tense anticipation as she lowered her partner to the ground, ever vigilant and ready to provide support. At the moment, Hotaru's Water Dragon Bullet seemed formidable enough as it smashed itself against the defenceless Edo and sent him flying backwards. The severing waves continued hitting Hiruko even as his broken back hit a wide and jagged boulder, the structure that was shrouding Hotaru's teammates and Darui as a base for their barrier.

"Chuushin! Benten! Don't..."

Mizuko reached the girl just in time as she collapsed, holding the spent kunoichi in her own arms. The latter was so worn out from the strongest technique she had ever pulled off that she did not even have the energy to verbalise her thoughts anymore, only staring beseechingly at the vaporous mists around the fallen enemy with a frantic desperation that even Mizuko shouted out in trepidation as she tried to repeat the blonde girl's unfinished words.

Alas, it was too late.

"_Tajuu Mugen Houyou_!"

The sudden dramatic appearance of the four men in Kirigakure attire shocked no one present, for this had been Mizuko's plan from the start. With Akaboshi as the main perpetrator of their collaborative techniques and the others transferring their chakra to him, the quartet was now surrounding the seemingly incapacitated zombie, erecting a barrier of bright purple chakra that was pushing Hiruko down forcefully.

"Why do you look so petrified, Hotaru?" the garrulous Chuushin was sneering. "Yeah, we did take some time getting prepared, but look at how well our Multiple Infinite Embraces is working now. That dark-skinned general can come out safely from hiding now, thanks to us!"

"Shut up, Chuushin! Just shut up and keep quiet!"

The befuddled man closed his mouth, his eyes blazing with disgruntlement as he blinked stupidly at the girl who was being helped by the weird blue-haired Kumo kunoichi who had given them their orders to keep Darui away from detection. The barrier formed was considerably extensive and spread across at least ten metres in length and breadth, and it just happened that Chuushin was the one closest to his fatigued blonde comrade. The man had no idea why the girl appeared so diffident when it was apparent that the battle had been won, and he felt a sense of injustice and malfeasance rising within him, a feeling that was hard to swallow silently.

"Now wait doggone a minute, Hotaru!" Chuushin was now retaliating abrasively. "What the hell are you barking at me for? Look here and see how we have subdued this maniac! See? See how our barrier is pushing down on him that he can't even lift his head... can't even lift his body up? And his chakra is being so rapidly drained as well! So why can't we get Darui out, huh? We've already dissolved the earlier barrier anyway and..."

"Wait... something's wrong!"

It was Akaboshi's surly baritone that finally shut Chuushin's trap, and the dumbfounded man turned his face away from the gathering shinobi to look at their prisoner. His burly teammate's connection with whatever barrier they conceived was always the most sensitive since he was the forerunner, and for him to quell his chatter with such an astringent tone was sufficient for him to hold his tongue.

Only when Chuushin witnessed with his own stricken eyes how the resurrected missing-nin was leisurely, languidly picking himself up in the middle of the bright purplish prison did he realise how he should have listened to Hotaru and not run his mouth off so carelessly.

"_Shinra Banshou Douka no Jutsu_."

Darui felt his heart accelerate at an exponential speed, just like the day before when Kinkaku transformed into his tailed beast form, desecrated the surrounding plateaus and took out hundreds of his troops within minutes. Across the area, the few shinobi left standing were all retreating cautiously as they too discovered to their horror that Hiruko was in possession of the fearsome Assimilate All Creation technique which allowed him to take on the special properties of nearby materials and substances, in this case, the purple chakra of the barrier, rendering it entirely counterproductive and ineffectual. The division leader's olive skin was glistening in the perpetual heat surrounding the atmosphere and he raised his giant cleaver blade hopelessly as the standing zombie now flashed his grey sclera at him through the purple barrier, his protruding shark-like teeth displayed for all to see as he cackled wildly.

"Well, well, well... I never expected myself to be such a successful thespian. Finally. Glad to meet you, General Darui. Are you ready to die?"


	103. Chapter 103

**Part 10: AGhast from the Past (8)**

_"_Bakuryuugeki_!"_

_In the middle of a quiescent forest home to numerous woodland dwelling creatures, the limpid atmosphere was eerily ripped apart by the impetuous eruption from a young teen's unfurled scroll. The still air whined and groaned plaintively in protest, as the fiery dragon twisted upwards majestically in a swift and meteoric ascent, whipping up a blustery flurry as it gained a regal and sovereign bird's eye view of the scabrous creatures it had been summoned to take care of. Once it had set its ferocious blazing orbs on its growling targets, it emitted a raucous outcry, its minacious intent reverberating across the lush greenery before it swooped fervidly down and devoured its feculent victims voraciously, resulting in a booming explosion._

_"All right, quickly now! You guys need to forge ahead!"_

_With her Exploding Dragon Strike extirpating a substantial number of their barbarous opponents, Tenten was now urging for her companions to carry on with their task without her. With Lady Hinata kidnapped by opportunistic mercenaries taking advantage of the current chaos that had thrown the whole of Konohagakure into a war-like state, Tenten and her current comrades were in hot pursuit. Her revered and prodigious teammate Hyuuga Neji, having been astonishingly transformed after his exhilaratingly unexpected loss to Uzumaki Naruto during the Chunin Exams, was now suddenly furiously vehement about rescuing one whom he himself had ironically caused grievous harm too just a while back._

_"What? No Tenten, we can't just leave you here alone with these... these monsters," the heralded child genius was now saying, his voice tight with confounded tension as his stricken white eyes detected how the recently disintegrated mud wolves were already starting to reform amidst the clearing smoky mist, just as they did before his female teammate unleashed the fearsome flaming behemoth from the depths of her mystical scroll. The third member of this hastily assembled three-men cell was still slightly dazed by what had just occurred, his mouth gaping while his tiny dog companion continued yapping at their comminatory threat from the comfort of its owner's hooded jacket. Neji had also been startled by this unprecedented move but there was no time for queries._

_"I can still handle them on my own for a while Neji," the kunoichi gave a breezy wink to the lads as she unsealed a flail with a huge metallic mace at the end of the chain, causing Inuzuka Kiba's eyes to widen even further. "You're gonna get her back, isn't it? Just go, quickly!"_

_Just as the boys turned and leapt into the air again, four mud wolves pounced at them, only to be smashed to oblivion by Tenten's flailing mace. The last thing Neji witnessed before he threw himself forward in dogged pursuance of their original course of action was the sprightly teen summoning a couple of ninja tools to her disposal and yelling, "Come and get me, you curs!" and though apprehensive at leaving her behind, he did still manage a wry and indebted smile. Much as he would deny it if ever probed, Tenten and her spirited personality had been his support the past few years ever since Team Guy was formed, especially since their two other teammates could be such roiling and aggravating knuckleheads. _

_As she swept through the first pack with relative ease, Tenten could foretell that her teammate's attention was still partially diverted to her predication. She winced slightly as the impact of two mud beasts breaking up against her shield reverberated through her left arm, before sending it tearing through three more like a frenzied frisbee. Flipping back with two nunchakus appearing in her hands, her pulse picked up its pace at the same rate that her bravado was dipping. _

_"More... There're getting more of them... those blasted kidnappers sure know to set an elaborate trap!" she fumed as she swung the chained staves deftly at her ominously silent targets that gurgled a little only when they were disintegrating when hit. "Though they're easy to dispel, the way they're resurrecting... so quickly..._

_my strength... my chakra..."_

_She grimaced as one wolf came close enough to draw cloth and blood; only her quick senses saved her from little more than a superficial graze on her left calf. Realising that if she had moved a second slower, she might have lost the use of her ankle, Tenten flung herself forcefully, urgently backwards while releasing several projectiles that stabbed themselves right into the muddy creatures' shiny eyes. _

_"They're getting... bolder... they can tell I'm losing momentum... losing strength... and I only managed to prepare one _Bakuryuugeki_ attack in my scrolls as a trial..."_

_As if reading her harried mind, the contemptible beasts actually started howling in unison, their piercing wails disorienting the young girl's thoughts even further. Having devised some sort of formation, they were now carrying out their assails in groups of four, pouncing and biting every chance they got and causing the hard-pressed teen to be at her wits' end as she unraveled tool after tool to tackle the rabid canines. _

_"I've never really attempted this yet... but... I guess I've no choice now..."_

_Ever since her chastening beat down by the female Sunagakure wind manipulator, the abashed kunoichi had been furtively analysing and experimenting with new techniques, expanding her repertoire in order to be more prepared for future challengers. Over the past days, apart from helping Neji train for his match with Naruto, she had spent countless hours working on her scrolls and imbuing her arsenal with more unpredictable enhancements. Feeling the perspiration trickle down her back and causing her sleeveless top to cling annoyingly to her skin, Tenten furrowed her brows as her doe eyes blazed with ignited passion; on bended knee, she sent her twin scrolls rolling outwards and under the paws of the creatures currently scampering over their own limbs at this preternatural move._

_"_Sogu: Fujin Heki_!"_

_The Floating Blade Wall technique was now throwing the mud creatures into a frenzy, as blade after blade eructed from the length of each scroll, dissipating the mud constructs upon contact. Even as the ones which had missed being hit were leaping at the unique _bukijutsu_ manipulator, they were as easily taken out by the explosive-tagged kunai that burst out of the scrolls with no warning, zipping through the air and zooming in on their targets with such explosive force that the arena was soon rocking with detonations. _

_"Nice! My _Kibaku Kunai_ experiment is working out well after all! Now let's see if I can hold the fort further with this next move... _Sogu: Koushin Ranka!_"_

_The next set of ninja tools that were ejected out of Tenten's scrolls was considerably anomalous, since each of the metal spheres scattered around the area had kunai welded to it. With this Manipulated Tools: Steel Needles Wild Flower move unleashing more than a dozen Exploding Spheres, even if the mud wolves resurrected, the explosive tagged _Bakusaidama_ would send kunai and shrapnel ripping them apart again once Tenten commanded the nearest sphere to blow. By the time only three spheres were left untouched, the enemy's technique was inoperative, the splattered mud no longer reforming into vile beasts._

_"Impressive, little one. I guess I do have to ... dirty my own hands a little after all."_

_Tenten felt her shoulders tense as the shrouded enemy finally made her presence known, the lilting voice filled with patronising venom. Though she could hear the woman loud and clear, she was hidden from sight, and despite Tenten's sharp senses, she was unable to establish her position at all. Recalling immediately that, based on past missions with her team, the user of the _Meisaigakure no Jutsu_ was controlling how light was reflecting around her body with chakra inflections, she felt a chill run down her spine and her throat constrict - without Neji and his Byakugan, she had almost no way of pinpointing where her opponent was. With her scent and shadow effectively erased by this technique, the forested terrain was now her playground, and Tenten was very much her plaything. _

_"It seems like you've improved your techniques after that humiliating defeat by that Suna blonde bitch, haven't you? Too bad you're going to die here, with your fellow little Genins chasing after my brother and Sekiei, who will kill your friends of course. You're too spent to do anything much after playing with my mud wolves, so I suggest you just let me kill you quickly and painlessly, all right?"_

_The invisible kunoichi's biting taunts seemed to be reaching her from all directions, and a crippling fear was indeed crawling through the young teen's vessels, prickling her febrile skin as she stayed guarded with the cold metal of two sai daggers firmly grasped in her hands. The Hiding with Camouflage move was usually used for both covert manoeuvres and offensive strikes, and the few times Tenten had encountered it, she had been deeply mortified and shaken up. _

_"Neji... Neji's taught me... how to... how to handle this... I can do this... I can do this..."_

_Forcing the rising bile in her oesophagus to take a detour, she allowed Neji's voice to play in her head as she closed her eyes for a split second, before a minute distortion of the air currents diagonally behind her made her turn immediately and fling a dagger at her assailant. A second later, the weapon fell to the ground with a clang, and demented laughter filled the area again._

_"Not bad, little girl! You actually managed to locate me! Well, I'm going to be more cautious when I come near you and kill you now!"_

_"_Hakke Kuushou_!"_

_Tenten almost collapsed from relief, feeling her knees give way as she saw how the Hyuuga's high-speed Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm thrust blew a thrashing woman off her feet with such tremendous force that the weapons expert could actually hear her spine snapping against the tree trunk she had been sent flying straight into. Almost instinctively, just for safe measure, a dozen projectiles were unsealed and impaling the corpse at fatally vital spots. _

_"Are you all right, miss? I saw you... fending off those mud beasts so valiantly. Sorry I didn't get here sooner."_

_The speaker turned to face the girl after inspecting the dead enemy, and it was only then that Tenten noticed how much taller than her teammate her strapping rescuer was. Instead of wearing his hair long over his shoulders, his much shorter and spiked hair was wrapped up in a bandana that was decorated with Konoha's insignia at his forehead protector. His _Byakugan_ was still activated, evident by the protruding veins and arteries around his featureless white eyes, accentuating his broad, well-defined nose. Seeing that it was not Neji but Hyuuga Ko, Hinata's caretaker, who had killed the kunoichi clad in dull brown Kumogakure attire, the teen brought herself unsteadily to her feet, only to fall into the young man's arms, debilitated. _

_"We... we must... we must go after Neji... Kiba! They're in danger!"_

_"Don't worry, Master Hiashi has gone ahead to help with his daughter's rescue. We were on our way but our _Byakugan_ caught sight of what was happening here and Master Hiashi instructed me to come to your aid."_

_Senses reeling at the close shave she had just experienced, Tenten followed Ko numbly, feeling strange tingling sensations as they sailed through the upper branches of the forest. Even when the Hyuuga announced triumphantly that Neji and Hiashi had taken care of the kidnappers and everyone was safe, she could only manage a slight nod, her thoughts preoccupied with the sudden, staggering notion of death. _

_"I see your young friend has returned from battle unscathed as well. She is a brave young warrior indeed, Neji. You're fortunate to have her as a teammate."_

_Understanding that almost her entire battle with the mud wolves and their summoner had actually been studied through the elder Hyuuga's Byakugan, Tenten could only return the compliment with a tentative smile as she reached out to her teammate diffidently once she set her eyes on him. Self-conscious Neji took her trembling self over from Ko's embrace awkwardly, his cheeks reddening slightly when Kiba exhaled with a saucy wolf whistle._

_"Are... are you okay, Tenten? You seem... shaken."_

_The sextet was racing back to their village, with Hiashi and Ko bringing up the rear with the two Kumo unconscious conspirators, ironically the ones who were now held captive instead. Their arms were over each other's shoulders even as they traversed through the trees, and Neji could sense that his usually spunky teammate's presently withdrawn demeanour spoke volumes of she felt about her most recent ordeal. _

_"I... I'm sorry, Tenten... I'm sorry for leaving you behind just now. I really... I really didn't want to."_

_The kunoichi felt her ears and cheeks burning as she registered those startling words in her mind, and she turned slightly to see that Neji's cheeks were as flushed as hers. Never had she heard him apologise for anything before, and never had she heard him speaking in such a rueful tone, his voice soft and filled with genuine remorse. Though his hardened disposition over the years had been attributed to his nine-year grudge against the main branch of the Hyuuga clan and his concrete view on one's unalterable fate, it seemed like within a short span of the past few hours, his world view had been utterly transformed by that single match with Uzumaki Naruto._

_"I'm... I'm fine, Neji... Just feeling a little... rattled. I guess... I guess I need to train harder, like you and Lee, to handle tougher situations on my own in the future."_

_Her reply silenced the duo for a while as the scenery breezed past them, but the young girl's vulnerable emotions were irrevocably stirred up once again when the male teen said, "I'll make sure you don't have to fight alone, as long as I can, Tenten." With a grateful nod and a cheery grin, the young kunoichi felt her usual feistiness returning, as renewed vigour emanated from her core to prepare her for the upcoming battle at her village._

_"She's feeling better now. The girl... Neji's teammate... I can sense her chakra flowing more smoothly."_

_Hyuuga Hiashi showed no reaction in affirmation of Ko's words even though his own dojutsu was revealing the same analysis. The head of the clan had a visual range that far surpassed many of his clan members, and earlier on, his superior prowess had actually established a presence besides the Kumo kunoichi that Ko had taken out. Learning from Ko that he had found no one else present was causing the stoic man to bristle slightly, as he continued studying the chakra patterns of the enervated girl. Perhaps he would have to inform Guy that someone could have taken a vested interest in one of his young team members, especially since she seemed so vulnerable after a close call with death._

"Tenten! Slow down! You're going to tire yourself out! Your chakra!"

Hyuuga Hiashi felt his senses bristling as he continued watching the back of the young kunoichi who seemed to be totally incapable of acknowledging his words, nor heeding the warning behind them. It was her audacious female Iwagakure friend who responded instead, swiveling around and sticking her tongue out at the exasperated man.

"Don't be peeved, old man," Tsume offered as she ran alongside him, her usually canine companion and steed currently piggybacking Ibiki and the semi-conscious C. "Teenagers huh... my Kiba is as hot-headed as ever, always getting himself into unnecessary scuffles. It's all about their hormones, you know?"

While Hiashi could not bring himself to reveal what he truly thought - that Tsume herself was usually riled up as easily and seemed to behave in a more terrifying manner than her son - he did heave a deep sigh before letting his creased forehead relax. He was duly concerned that the usage of the Bashosen against Hiruko's chimeric monsters would have exhausted Tenten, especially since she had summoned such enthralling and electrifying assaults. Now that those bothersome creatures had all been annihilated, the shinobi were propelling themselves forward in a fight against time, perhaps explaining the kunoichi's frenetic need for speed.

"Ibiki seems to be... affected by something else... something related to Tenten. You can sense it too, right?"

As if his nerves were not jangled enough from Tsume's disquieting message from Shikaku, the frazzled Hyuuga turned to face the spiky-haired kunoichi whose emblazoned grim expression portrayed her own misgivings, trying to digest this new piece of information with as little fretfulness as possible. Recalling how a few years back, Tenten had also been someone's focal point in the middle of a battle during the mission to rescue his daughter from opportunistic mercenaries from Kumo, Hiashi could not help but wonder if these little details were all connected somehow.

It seemed as if the mystery of Konoha's weapons mistress's young life was just beginning to unravel.


	104. Chapter 104

**Part 10: AGhast from the Past (9)**

_"_Hakkeshou Kaiten_!"_

_The air was ripped apart as a swirling cocoon of blue kinetic energy was erected, the Hyuuga user releasing a huge amount of chakra from all 361_ tenketsu_ points from his body; the teenaged boy was controlling the size and power of the rotating sphere as it spun madly to parry the hard-hitting projectiles that were now ricocheting off. The enraged attacker seemed to be increasing the intensity of his Assimilation: Rock Blizzard technique, pelting Neji's ultimate defence maneouvre with more sharpened rocks than ever._

_"Tenten! Now! Your _Kibaku Kunai_!"_

_As always, in perfect synchrony with her esteemed partner, once Neji deemed if safe to deactivate his Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven, the kunoichi catapulted herself out of the safety of the blue cocoon, her twin scrolls twirling gracefully and protectively around her ascending lithe body as she unsealed dozens of kunai tagged with explosive tags and sent them slicing speedily through the air towards their formidable opponent. In the midst of the riotous battle arena, the atmosphere exploded with mid-air propulsions as metal met rock, fine debris flying all over as each burning explosive tag did its job._

_"_Raikiri_!"_

_While their corpulent grey-skinned enemy was distracted by the peskiness of his younger opponents, Hatake Kakashi was channeling a voluminous amount of lightning chakra to his right hand, preparing his Lightning Cutter move. The high concentration of electricity caused his offensive hand to crackle with deleterious intent that the Watari ninja the trio was fighting actually stumbled in trepidation, allowing a couple of Tenten's kunai to knock his rock-imbued body a few metres back. Before he could recover, Kakashi's fearsome signature was already sizzling through his entire being, despite how his _Shinra Banshou Douka no Jutsu_ had allowed him to take on the properties and characteristics of nearby rocks._

_"So... the reason why you want to join my forces, is your thirst for vengeance against Hatake Kakashi?"_

_The stocky man gave a curt nod, as he removed the hat that had been tied under his chin. Noticing that the speaker was studying his sleeveless tunic and baggy short pants through his glasses with little interest, he cleared his throat and spoke in his usual gruff manner that he was the creator of the Assimilate All Creation Technique._

_"Really? You're that Watari missing-nin Nagare? The one that Konoha's Kakashi defeated together with two Genin ninja at _Tori no Kuni_?"_

_He clenched his jaw as he nodded again, colour rising to his ruddy cheeks as he felt a frigid blast that caused his black bangs down the middle of his forehead to rustle slightly. Though he and his cowering partner Hokushin had travelled far and wide since their denigrating loss at the Land of Birds, he was still truly awestruck by how they had managed to actually make their way here to Sangoku no Hakaba, the mountainous region located at the north-most region of the land between Takigakure and Otogakure. For days, Hokushin had whined tirelessly about having to traverse through the dense forestry, shutting up only when he noticed the ivory bones of many giant creatures jutting out of the Mountains' Graveyard. Now, he seemed petrified at the presence of the heteroclite addressing them in the middle of a dark cavern lit only by several flickering candles, opting to hide behind his burly friend and keeping his long bangs over his face, intent on studying the line of ants crawling on the earthen ground._

_"Your friend... doesn't seem very interested though, does he?"_

_Hokushin froze momentarily before lifting his head to face the man a few metres away, shrouded partially by the pulsating shadows and by his maroon-coloured cloak. The hood that framed his face veiled his unkempt bowl cut of ash-grey hair and the purple markings around his eyes, but the stricken Watari nin could still make out the scaly patterns on his blanched and pallid face. It was not the onyx eyes gleaming from behind his trademark black rimmed circular eyes or the ghoulish sneer that was making his hair stand; the fact that there was a long, white snake that was slithering out from under the man's robes, as if it was his tail, suggested that the reptile was somehow fused to his body._

_"It won't bite, Hokushin... unless you do want to be bitten by my snake."_

_Yakushi Kabuto stretched his lips even more as the smaller man appeared to be floored by him acknowledging him directly, even by name. Sharp-eyed as ever, he also caught the other man's irises glimmer slightly, clearly in recognition of the fact that Kabuto had expected their arrival to his hideout all along._

_"You... you lured us here. You were the one... You know who we are...you were the one who lured us here!"_

_Hushing Hokushin's frantic shrieks with a fierce shove, Nagare peered straight into Kabuto's eyes as he grunted, "He wouldn't have been able to do that if I didn't possess this... this desire to destroy Kakashi Hatake. Even if he's an adept _genjutsu_ master, even if he's the most cunning manipulator ever to walk this realm, I wouldn't be here if I didn't possess this fervent hunger to crush Kakashi with my own hands."_

_The following hour was spent crafting an ingenious, devious plan that would include both Nagare and Hokushin infiltrating the Shinobi Alliance. Once Kabuto realised that both of them had actually also managed to copy even _Bakuton_ and _Shakuton_ techniques over the past two years, he acted even more intrigued by their capabilities. Though Hokushin stayed jittery and cautious, and mostly warily silent, Nagare was the opposite, remaining deeply focused throughout the conversation. Several times, as his tunic loosened, Hokushin spied the deep gash that was lacerated across his partner's barrel chest and he attempted to still his flummoxed senses by reminding himself how distraught Nagare had been after his disgraceful opprobrium._

_"You'd really feel better if we did this... if we helped carry out Kabuto's nefarious plan to take over the shinobi world?"_

_His tear-stained face notwithstanding, it was the state of Hokushin's ravaged body that finally gave Nagare cause to be stupefied. Deciding that Hokushin needed to have more enhancements since between the duo- it was a well-established fact that Nagare was the force to be reckoned with - Kabuto had succumbed the blue-haired young man to a few days of drug-induced experiments that he claimed would fortify his body for what was about to come. Never would Nagare imagine to see his formerly lean but robust partner in this shriveled state, his scrawny torso covered in dozens of cuts and lashes._

_"If it's really what you want... then... then it's fine, Nagare. I... I will bear with all these... for you."_

_The heightened atmosphere was almost overbearing as surrounding them were shinobi raising their fists and voices in unison in unanimous support of their commander's speech. Within minutes, the youthful Sunagakure Kazekage Gaara had managed to somehow diffuse the earlier sense of animosity among the five nations, unifying the alliance with just spoken words. The deafening cheers rang through the heated Kumogakure horizon as 80,000 shinobi and samurai warriors chorused their newfound camaraderie. Hokushin placed his hand over his partner's clenched fist, when he noticed how visibly affected he was to see that his life's most coveted prey, the silvery white spiky haired Konohagakure Jounin was actually the captain of the Alliance's Third Division and was now standing tall among the rest of the alliance generals._

_"I sure as hell didn't sign up for this!"_

_It had barely been a day into the war and Nagare's supposedly consecrated devotion to Kabuto's efforts was already being tested. As planned, the Watari duo had been routinely consigned to the Alliance's Logistical Support and Medical Division, and the day had seen them working like pack horses bringing supplies and medical equipment to and fro various tents. Under the stringent supervision of Captain Shizune and her team, the unit had had little time for a breather, and with the current White Zetsu infiltration crisis causing mayhem to rampage all across the realm on this very sultry night, things were getting as chaotic as they could be._

_"I have news of Kakashi."_

_Alone in one of the tents situated at the secluded back of the compound, Hokushin adopted a nonchalant tone as he revealed how, under his Hidden with Camouflage technique, he had been able to pilfer certain news and information about the battles that had raged through the day. It seemed that based on some chatter between Shizune and a pink-haired teen girl from Division Three named Haruno Sakura, Kakashi's division was suffering immense casualties, some of which had been brought hurriedly to the compound for emergency treatment._

_"It looks like they have to deal with the resurrected Seven Swordsmen of the Mist," Hokushin was reporting as he casually passed Nagare a canteen from which the latter was now sipping from as he kept his ears pricked. "Based on what those Konoha bitches were discussing, Kakashi and his men will be in for a wild ride."_

_Scowling as he met his partner's deep-set black orbs, the bulky man wiped his mouth with the back of his forearm, his mind racing with thoughts on how he could meet Kakashi on the battlefield as soon as possible. While Hokushin droned on about other news that he had uncovered, Nagere's thoughts remained tightly affixed on how the humiliating battle at the Land of the Birds had changed him totally. Previously an extremely cautious individual who would rather watch other combatants deck it out than join in the fray, Kakashi's electrifying fist going through his chest had immutably altered his personality, leavening him with this unquenchable desire for vengeance._

_"With the Zetsu threat, we might be exposed soon, Nagare," Hokushin was now verbalising, his voice as composed as before despite the weight of his words. "I have a bad feeling that sooner or later, we will be tested on our abilities to use medical ninjutsu in order to prove that we are not White Zetsus"._

_"Well, that's not a problem for you, is it? Kabuto imparted that to you when he... well, when he enhanced your abilities."_

_Hokushin turned to find the other man looking down at his sandaled feet as an uncomfortable silence ensued. Since his ordeal at Kabuto's inner caverns at the Mountains' Graveyard, the _kenjutsu_ user had become a changed man as well, his former gregarious and spitfire character replaced by one that was more sullen and severe. Within this enclosed space, Nagare's guilt for having submitted his friend to such atrocities was evidently displayed; apart from not daring to meet Hokushin's eyes, he was clenching and unclenching his clammy fists and swallowing his saliva incessantly. The Hokushin he used to know would have cursed and snapped at him for days for causing him so much grief, but his glum and morose demeanour was more than he could bear._

_What he did not expect, though, were Hokushin's following words._

_"I know medical_ ninjutsu_ but you don't. That's something you've always been unable to assimilate all these years, unwilling to even, since your Assimilation techniques have always rendered you injury-free... well, almost injury-free. And because of that, my dear friend, you'll be a liability to Master Kabuto's plans."_

_Slightly taken aback, Nagare wanted to raise his head to face his friend who had rattled on those words without a hint of treachery, but to his horror, realised that he could not. In fact, he was unable to twitch a muscle, but found that he could only move his lips and vocal chords to form words._

_"Hokushin! Are you crazy? What're you doing? Free me this instance!"_

_"I'm sorry I have to do this earlier than scheduled, Nagare," the younger man was now speaking monotonously, even as a fresh bout of tears ran down his cadaverous cheeks. "You've fallen into Kabuto's trap, Nagare... from the very beginning, he had no plans to help you exact your petty vengeance."_

_"The... the water... you poisoned the water..."_

_Hokushin was now unsheathing his sword mechanically as he continued narrating, the gleaming steel as cold as how his heart felt. "When you brought us... forced us to Kabuto's lair, you effectively signed our death warrants, Nagare. He was solely interested in our abilities... in the Kekkei Genkai techniques we had assimilated... and the Assimilation technique you created. Look at where we are, my friend. He's arranged for us to be in the medical camp, where the shinobi corpses with Kekkei Genkai abilities are stored."_

_"So what? You're out of your mind, Hokushin! Free me this instance! What the hell are you saying... What the hell are you even doing?!"_

_The paralysed man could feel his friend's breath on his cheek as he attempted a lacklustre hug, wrapping his arms limply around his stout body for a few moments as he continued talking listlessly, clear from his voice that he had resigned his life to Fate._

_"I've been... programmed... I'm under Kabuto's powers to carry this out, Nagare. What he did to me in my drug-induced state for all those days, I don't know and I guess I no longer care... All I know is Kabuto plans to resurrect a Konoha missing-nin named Hiruko, and to do so, he wants our bodies to be absorbed by him, to make him as powerful as he can be. After I kill you, I will place your body where the other corpses are, and after I kill myself as well, Kabuto will arrange for his other minions to ensure that our bodies reach Hiruko."_

_His heartbeat accelerating wildly beyond belief, Nagare could not imagine that everything that he had concocted together with the despicable mastermind would be so quickly, so easil thwarted within the blink of an eye. Before he could bark at Hokushin again, the warm moisture on his shoulder bade him to cease his cries._

_He was hurting badly._

_It was hurting Hokushin badly to be doing this, probably worse than the barbarity that he had had to endure under the reptilian villain's clutches. Though his entire being was currently being consumed by an overwhelming ire that threatened to explode from all his orifices, within a split second after feeling Hokushin's tears seeping through his tunic, Nagere felt a sickening dread engulf his core. Finding it almost impossible to breathe, even in his frozen state, the haunted man felt his senses dulling, and his numbing muscles lose their rigidity – a transient stranglehold of his tear glands brimmed his beady eyes with his own tears._

_"I am sorry, Hokushin. This is… this is all my fault."_

_"Yes it is, Nagare," came the inclement response, though its hushed whispery edge suggested the world of pain and sorrow behind it. "Yes it is, indeed."_

_Stifling a gasp of horror as he felt his friend's trusty katana thrust right through his heart, the Watari nin's mind exploded with a dazzling white light. The embedded blade pulsated with the pumping of his heart, causing Hokushin to finally scream inwardly in silent agony as he felt the pulsing rhythm through his sword's hilt. Emitting a muffled cry as he twisted his blade in response to his master's conditioning, the younger shinobi shut his eyes, tears streaming down his face as he felt his friend's arms encircle his waist in one last embrace._

_"Yes, ma'am. I can't explain this as well… these two new bodies… I'm really not sure where they came from… or who brought them in."_

_Uzuki Yuugao's brown eyes stayed glued on the white cloth stained with a crimson redness, noting that the blood was still spreading through the threads at one particular area. Frowning aporetically, the kunoichi lifted the cloth to find two male shinobi lying inertly underneath; the bigger man had a broken blade jutting out of his heart and must have been dead for some time. The other, dressed in a crumpled beige-coloured cloak that went down to his knees and a purple shirt underneath that, had a deep gash across his throat, and dark liquid was still oozing viscously out of the open wound. What was more discomfiting was that the hilted end of the broken sword was lying loosely grasped in his left hand._

_His right hand, though, was closely intertwined with the left hand of his dead companion. _


	105. Chapter 105

**Part 10: AGhast from the Past (10)**

_"C."_

_His eyelids felt like lead, and even with the greatest effort, he could not seem to pry them apart. The frost that his entire body seemed to have been covered in was biting tentatively into his skin, its sharp pointy teeth gnawing delectably at every inch of his body._

_"C. It's time to wake up, C."_

_As if those words were magic, he found himself blinking naturally as he opened his eyes to look at the clear sky blue expanse above. Though he could still feel the stiffness in his joints, his sudden rousing seemed to be somehow thawing him out, even as the frigidity continued pricking into his torso. With a groan, he managed to bring himself up to a seating position, closing his eyes for a few more moments when his head started swimming with that mild exertion._

_"That's it, C. Don't fall asleep again, all right?"_

_His eyelids flashed wide open this time, his dark eyes straining to catch a glimpse of his currently invisible speaker. As he peered across the horizon, he could see a three-headed mountain a distance away, in the midst of snow flakes frolicking in the buffeting wind gusts._

_"_San Rou_... those mountains... the Three Wolves... I'm in _Tetsu no Kuni_," he mumbled, his pectorals heaving with some effort._

_"Very perceptive, C. Yes, this is the Land of Iron. Well, we're not actually here itself... it's just... the place that I've chosen to bring you to in your mind... and in mine as well."_

_Shaking his head just one last time to clear the last vestige of grogginess, the Kumogakure Jounin raised himself to his feet, feeling his debilitated, wobbly legs regain some strength. It was evident that it was his mind that had been drawn to this realm, just like how earlier on, the resurrected Edo zombie Hiruko had somehow transferred his mental essence to his own dark domain. As the blood was pumped back to his fingertips, C crossed his shivering arms while he continued searching for the invisible speaker. Strangely, though he remembered that he had been utterly petrified in Hiruko's mind, he was somehow much less spooked here, and much more unfettered. Stumbling a couple of steps forward as his weakened body attempted to regain its bearings, a glance to the back showed no footprints in the snow, nor any dark shadow against the white background._

_"Who... who are you?" he managed to croak feebly, as he rubbed his hands up and down his bulgy triceps, thinking that it was quite extraordinary to feel so much cold in a place where there were no footprints or shadows. "Why have you brought me here? What do you want from me?"_

_The delicate male voice emitted a soft laughter so genteel that it made the blonde man pause momentarily, a sense of amiability proliferating around the blustery area even in the cold. He retraced his steps in mild trepidation, the alarm bells in his mind ringing softly as his suspicious nature was roused from its dormant slumber._

_"I guess I brought you here because... well because this is the place I've always wanted to go to, back when I was alive. A place that is removed... separated... from all the fighting and warring among the shinobi nations."_

_The tenuous disclosure was not missed by the fully awakened Jounin, a sense of trepidation laggardly creeping back into his veins. Before phe could unveil his perturbed countenance visibly, the speaker was quick to reassure him that he meant no harm, that he was now quite the polar opposite of the persona he had adopted when he first contacted him telepathically._

_"Wait... what?" C could hardly stem his consternation any longer, senses pricked as he turned almost one full circle to get a fix on the speaker's position. "You... if you were the one who connected with me psychically, aren't you... aren't you Hiruko then?"_

_"Not really. But let's welcome my next guest first, shall we?"_

_With that proclamation, the scenery took a drastic, immoderate change as C found himself transported instantaneously to a significantly warmer, yet ironically much darker place. Instead of the delicate snowflakes dancing around his body, it was a mild drizzle that was now kissing his skin and providing some welcomed humidity. The architecture that surrounded him composed of metallic skyscrapers with rowed ducts connected to them, and innumerable power lines stretching across._

_"This is... _Amegakure no Sato_... the Village Hidden by Rain," he whispered as he realised that the rain was a constant here and would not be dissipating anytime soon at all. "The place where there are many skilled _genjutsu_ ninjas."_

_"It's also the village whose population is made up of mostly war refugees from our previous shinobi wars, since its position between three of our five nations has seen it become a battleground during our preceding wars."_

_C turned to find a fair-skinned female outfitted in a green Konoha flak jacket approaching, her light blonde hair fashioned into a high ponytail that swished down to her lower back. The young kunoichi wore a dour expression, her blue eyes severe with furrowed brows, her thin lips drawn tight with austerity. Even before she reached him, she was already extending her right hand in greeting, her confidence and charisma oozing in abundance despite the sullen gravity of their extremely unorthodox way of meeting._

_"I'm Ino from Konoha's Yamanaka clan. I believe you know my friend Tenten, because I have a sneaky feeling that she's somehow with your team at the moment."_

_Stumped by the girl's composure and grit, C nodded mutely as he returned her handshake. Ascertaining that Tenten was fine at the moment and was leading a group of shinobi back to handle the Hiruko crisis, the male blonde was gratified to hear that there were substantial forces surging towards the same battle dome as well._

_"There's only one way, only one person, who can make a difference and affect the outcome of the battle with Hiruko."_

_Both sensors turned to find a fairly tall figure garbed in a pale yellow jumpsuit stitched up the middle, his forehead protector covering his whole head with a rebreather and a sash around his face, leaving only his left eye visible. Despite his earlier derision back at the Caverns of Thunder and Lightning, C could vaguely recall two other individuals who had been arrayed in similar attires. What was different with this Ame shinobi standing in front of him was that there seemed to be no sense of malice at all from him, unlike the earlier duo who had actually volunteered their services to the execrable Yakushi Kabuto and who had been seized by Tenten and Takeshi for their misdeeds._

_"Wait a minute... you... you're Mubi!" the realisation struck C fast and hard. "The one... the one that Oboro offered to Kabuto. How... how is this possible... if he used your body to resurrect Hiruko?"_

_Ino noticed how their summoner's visible eye softened in mild defeat for a second before he raised his head again, remarking chirpily that he frankly did not fully understand how death worked, or how he had been able to retain his consciousness even if it was his body that had been sacrificed to bring Hiruko back to life in Edo Tensei form._

_"All I know is that Kabuto was very... specific, in using my body for Hiruko's resurrection," Mubi shrugged as he continued entertaining his visitors' quizzical facial expressions, displaying his own lack of concrete knowledge at the bizarre events that had blown way out of proportions. "And if I'm not wrong... if I don't recall wrongly... Kabuto did not actually kill me. I believe I'm one of the very few... or perhaps I was the only one whose body was not an actual corpse before it was used for his _Edo Tensei_ purposes."_

_Listening intently as the Ame youth continued sharing his thoughts and probably taking this chance to pour out his woes about the grave injustice that had led to his markedly outlandish demise, C's own mind was working furiously as he attempted to piece together whatever he could based on his experiences of the past hours. The mind that had first sought him out when he was back at the medical compound and later caused his overwrought mental state was definitely not Mubi's, at least not just his own. By the time he had reached the caverns together with his Sunagakure guardian, the demonic force that had rendered Yotoi almost lifeless must have almost totally buried Mubi's consciousness._

_"It was as if I was sharing one mind with Hiruko at first," Mubi sighed, shaking his head in clear annoyance. "I could... I could see most of his memories, I could sense that he was really willing to hide himself to avoid getting those _Kekkei Genkai_ bodies Kabuto wanted to implant in him to carry out this part of his plan. We had acted subservient together when our minds were first awoken... well, when Hiruko was first summoned by Kabuto, I believe he didn't expect my presence to still be so domineering within. Later however, Hiruko began harbouring more vulpine thoughts... more fraudulent desires... and while I was in more control, I quickly activated my own sensor and genjutsu abilities, reasons why Kabuto had used my body in the first place, and connected with the most powerful sensor I could locate at the time, within my range."_

_"And Yotoi... you didn't have anything to do with him? To do with how... how Hiruko almost killed him?"_

_Another heave of the young lad's chest showed his displeasure and remorse, and he offered, in a plaintive voice, that it was just before Hiruko managed to cause fatal harm to the Suna sealer that he wrested control for one last moment, saving Yotoi from certain death and quickly signaling to Kurenai and Ibiki about their location, in the vain effort to stop Hiruko before he could flee. Ino's eyes flashed in recognition at the mention of her kindred, to which C drily sniggered that his current companions were mostly made up of Konoha's shinobi._

_"And... they're really doing a great job... taking care of me... fighting tirelessly and not giving up... I... I have nothing but respect for them all."_

_Taking a moment to reflect on what he had just revealed, the perplexed Kumo sensor realised that with his mind in the safe comfort of this psychic realm, he was actually able to be honest with his feelings and his sincere gratitude towards people whom he had regrettably sneered at and derided just a few hours before._

_"Right now, no matter how fast your teams get to Hiruko, they can do very little to harm him. He's currently in possession of the Assimilation All Creation technique apart from _Bakuton_ and _Shakuton_, which makes it extremely challenging to bring him down."_

_"I can sense General Darui together with some other Division One soldiers battling him now," the Yamanaka teen finally spoke again, having absorbed enough to get a firm grasp of the parlous jeopardy and connected the dots based on her own knowledge and experience with the former Konoha missing-nin's abilities. "Hiruko is going after Darui's Storm element, isn't it? That's why he's here... that's why he's hunted him all the way here."_

_"Yes, precisely so," Mubi's voice lit up at the girl's perception, heartened that he had made the right choice of reaching out to her. "Right now though, Darui is one of the few who can hold Hiruko back, with his Black Lightning, until Tenten arrives with the Bashosen and Akimichi Chouji from your side, Ino. However, just in case they can't, just in case he's too impervious to all kinds of physical or elemental assaults, there may be only one person in the vicinity who can stop him. But that would mean that both of you must take the lead... whoever gets to us first, probably Ino's team, must reach out to that shinobi... We will need all available sensors and _genjutsu_ users for this plan... this last resort. I have brought you two here... to this temporary, short-lived sanctuary as my last attempt to make things right. I couldn't risk alerting Hiruko that my mind is actually still active by connecting with the two sensors with Darui right now because they are just too near and I might trigger Hiruko's radar, and that's why you two have to be tasked with this job."_

_The Amegakure ninja closed his eyes, a visible shudder passing through his body as he took two steps back; C and Ino stepped back as well, feeling the rain pelting down harder than before, getting reminded that the Hidden Rain Village had always been known to be under a perpetual storm. When Mubi spoke again, any sense of gaiety or liveliness had vanished without a trace, his sobriety accentuated by a deadpan eye and sombre tone._

_"For this plan to work, I am afraid one person will definitely be required to make the ultimate sacrifice."_


	106. Chapter 106

**Part 10: AGhast from the Past (11)**

"What the hell are you doing? We've got to get out of here!"

The battleground was sibilating with crackling energy in one moment and erupting with demoniac kinetic chaos the next. With copious sizable pieces of rock debris whizzing through the air, their potency exalted by the intense speed ignited by the forceful propulsion, the potential targets were all throwing themselves out of harm's way, some less successful than the rest. Despite some retaliatory jutsus being fired up to counter the parlous attacks, the sheer efficacy of those malignant rocks was more than sufficient to knock down half the shinobi present, leaving the remaining few struggling to hold the fort.

"Our barrier techniques... aren't going to work at all now," the aghast Chuusin was now lamenting, utterly shaken out of his wits. "We... we have to run... we have to escape, Akaboshi! This isn't our fight anymore!"

The sinewy man he was pleading with spat in derisive disgust, though he knew deep in his heart that what his cowardly caitiff of a teammate was whining about made total logical sense. With their plans utterly thwarted almost immediately after exacting one of their most formidable collaborative tactics, the men of the Magaki group were now rallied together a distance away, having barely fled from Hiruko's explosive frontal assault.

"Akaboshi, I'll follow your decision," came the hoarse gruffness of the normally reticent Nangou, a man of few words but frequently demonstrating an underrated keenness whenever he spoke. "Yes, we might have already used our most powerful Multiple Infinite Embrace move against that demon, but we haven't utilitised all our skills yet. That zombie is behaving in such an erratic manner now. We might be able to catch him off guard and deal a little damage."

"Are you both out of your mind?" bemoaned the terribly afflicted Chuushin, his gaunt cheeks appearing sallower than ever when he noticed how Akaboshi had deftly erected an almost invisible barrier to protect two soldiers who were almost became casualties to the deadly flying rocks. "You'll need our full power to go up against that freak of nature, and both of you won't be..."

"I'm in too, your sniveling cur," Benten rapped his teammate's head hard, flicking his luxuriant hair as he stepped up from behind the greatly chastised man. "Besides, Hotaru is still out there with the others, and we can't jolly well leave her behind."

Chuushin could only stare blankly at the trio as they sprung forward and jumped back into the tumultuous broil, leaving him with his mouth wide open and drooling conspicuously, the shiny part of his head exposed by his receding hairline now throbbing from both the wracking headache and from his flamboyant friend's vicious knock. When he finally blinked again, his teammates were already far ahead of him and attempting to activate yet another one of their collaborative techniques, but this time without his contribution. Swallowing the galling lump down his throat as he took a heaving breath, he looked at them from afar for a few more seconds before he felt the wetness on his cheeks, warm tears trickling down their sharp contours. With a resigned shake of his head, the man felt his uncut fingernails bite painfully into his fleshy palms, a simple gesture that seemed to unwittingly prick his conscience and make his legs move on their own accord towards them.

"_Ranton: Reiza Sakasu_!"

A gentle halo of bright energy sparkled itself to life, spreading around the summoner's dark fists before it encircled them and caused dazzling beams to shoot out mystically out of bare hands. Kumogakure sensors Mizuko and Bekkou swerved and ducked like agile felines instinctively out of habit, even though they inherently knew that those beams would actually be bypassing them while directing themselves expeditiously towards their intended quarry. A backward glance saw Darui continue to pump excessive energy into his Storm Release: Laser Circus jutsu, as the number of sizzling beams actually increased in number and intensified in illumination.

"Darui... he's trying his best to pin Hiruko down quickly," Mizuko thought as she turned to face their deranged maniac of an opponent. "It's not working though... I can sense him bristling with pure alacrity... He's more alive than ever!"

Just as she was about to summon yet another potentially inconsequential and non-germane _Katon_ jutsu to help reduce the heat for the squad, the kunoichi's senses were jolted out of the blue; Bekkou's stunned face and half-raised blade revealed that he, too, must have received the same telepathic epistle. The two exchanged a brief consternating nod before propelling themselves backwards, seemingly beating a hasty retreat to any witnessing bystander.

"Something's up," eagle-eyed Izumo whispered as he peered over the jagged boulder that he and his partner had taken refuge at, squinting slightly at the blinding light display. "The sensors... they were about to aid General Darui and attack Hiruko but they suddenly pulled back."

"Whatever they're doing let's hope it works somehow," Kotetsu huffed as he brought himself up to a half-squat, his back still smarting from a direct hit on his back, a gaping hole on the back of his flak jacket. "We're getting our asses handed to us here. Again."

Just as he was to respond, the Konoha Chunin raised his rigid body suddenly and even though Kotetsu was only looking at his friend's back view, he knew at once that Izumo had swept his fringe from covering his right eye to gain a better view of the unfolding drama. He had noticed the emancipated Edo twist his emaciated torso away even though Darui's assault continued splashing fecklessly off his rock-imbued body, as if his attention was diverted by something that was airborne and fast approaching the scene. Kotetsu felt his own pulse race as he dragged himself up to his feet, his friend expelling a hushed "Reinforcements" under his breath and bringing such unexpected amelioration that he almost slid back gratefully to the rocky ground yet again.

"_Karori Kontorouru_! _Choudan Bakugeki_!"

The flitter of azure blue could hardly be noticed by the naked eye against the cloudless sky, but the skittish duo almost bucked up in excitement when they saw how their eagerly anticipated hero from the day before swoop down in his exalted glory. The intensely concentrated chakra that had been gained by the Akimichi converting his body's calories with Calorie Control was now leaking out from his backbone and appearing like bluish butterfly wings, visible through friction with the shoulder blade. Tapping into this unique massive chakra bank that had hugely altered his body structure, and siphoning it into his fearsome fists, the Konoha Chunin gave no warning except for an outraged bellow as he bulleted in like a wrecking ball, crashing right into the adamantine zombie with his Butterfly Bullet Bombing technique.

"Chouji! He did it!"

Izumo placed a hand against his zealous partner's hard chest to hold him back, feeling his heart pumping against his chest, as he continued studying the situation with his keen eyes. As the dust cleared and visibility in the area was restored, the Chunin once again felt the tension creep back into his veins and his throat dry itself up. He heard Kotetsu exhale in astonishment, his friend's grip tightening on his own shoulder as they both watched the quick assemblage of their undying foe's broken up body. Even when his spiky-haired partner jostled him to move and regroup with their peers, the analytical Izumo could not tear his distraught eyes away from the sight of several pieces of Hiruko's connecting with one another in quick succession before sinking unceremoniously into the ground.

"He's escaping! He's phasing himself with the ground like before using the Attack Prevention technique!"

Nara Shikamaru's dark brows met as his mind registered his senpai's hastily thrown warning even before the duo reached the newly arrived squad, and the blur of red sauntering past the corner of his right eye. General Kitsuchi moved briskly ahead for about thirty metres before squatting and placing his callused hands on the scabrous grey ground, his bare sinewy right arm flexing from his exertions as he connected with the terrain. The bearded man remained fully focused on his current task, barking at Shikamaru and the others to stay back but stand alert once he heard footsteps surrounding him. His dark eyes flashed open once he found what he was searching for, and with the same sense of severe discipline and assertive composure he had been displaying ever since the war began the previous day, the brawny Iwagakure man emitted a commanding war cry.

"_Doton: Chidoukaku_!"

A momentary silence greeted the ears of the apprehensive bystanders, before the vibrations they felt beneath their sandaled or booted feet were accompanied by a series of baleful rumbles. Fifty metres ahead, a substantial part of the rocky terrain was suddenly thrust up from below, Kitsuchi's Earth Release: Moving Earth Core jutsu having elevated the specific area at least twenty metres above ground. Just before Chouji flew down from his hovering position in the air again, he was held back by the Second Division commander's superbly uncharacteristic agitated wail. The Akimichi youth's beady eyes caught sight of Kitsuchi actually falling back onto the ground with a thud, and the next thing he saw when he turned his head made him stifle a gasp as well.

"Well, well, well... what exactly do we have here, my dear friends? Whose little girl is this?"

While Kitsuchi had indeed achieved his goal of getting Hiruko out of his underground sanctuary, what he had not totally not expected to find was the cackling resurrected zombie standing tall, his long white tresses flowing freely in the gentle breeze while he raised the unconscious form of a black-haired kunoichi by the the scruff of the collar of her standard deep-red Iwagakure attire, the unconscious form of the daughter he had not laid eyes on since the previous night, Kurotsuchi.


	107. Chapter 107

**Part 10: AGhast from the Past (12)**

_"You've got to be kidding me, right? Let me repeat that. You've got to be kidding!"_

_The burly man removed the red bandana that was now adorned with a shiny new forehead protector with the '_ren' kanji_ carved in the centre, the metallic piece reflecting the evening light that was filtering in from the cracks of the closed window. As he pushed the panes wide open to welcome the radiant stream into the room, basking in the warm rays that were bathing his rugged face with their delicate tenderness, he gazed out at the rocky mountain ranges that surrounded his village and country. At once a natural stronghold and an almost impregnable fortress that gave it an advantageous position compared to the other four great shinobi countries. With the hidden village sitting among a mountain range consisting of small narrow waterfalls and buildings composed of rock and stone shaped from large elevated formations of rock into tower-like structures, Kitsuchi of Iwagakure was now proudly revering his home's strong defences and ethereal structural beauty._

_"Did you hear me? I'm not agreeing to this!"_

_Heaving a sign at the youth's understandably rapacious contention, the stocky _Doton_ expert regrettably tore his eyes from the celestial view of stately buildings sitting atop hanging cliffs and connected by a splendiferous network of bridges, facing his greatly affronted daughter who was clearly now upholding her reputation as the Third Tsuchikage's spitfire grandchild very well indeed. Her pupil-less pink eyes were blazing with undisguised passion and her left sleeved arm was currently raised towards his direction as she continued ranting with outright fury._

_"Akatsuchi says that you're deploying me as part of the Daimyo Protection Squad! He'd better be wrong about this, Father!"_

_Kitsuchi glimpsed at the 'Shinobi' sign on his foreword protector again and gave a grim nod as his daughter's rubicund cheeks deepened in colour. "Yes, he's right. I did arrange for you to be with the Mizukage's team..."_

_"You can't do that! I'm supposed to be fighting out there, not babysitting those wretched old fools!"_

_Kurotsuchi continued shouting aggressively at the top of her voice, her arms akimbo while her shrill voice pierced straight into her father's eardrums. The bold and audacious kunoichi had good reason to deride the newly appointed second division General of the Shinobi Alliance Army, since in the past weeks, she had played her roles pretty well during several imperative missions, the drums of war gradually crescendoing as the days flitted by. Arguing fiercely that she had been selected to accompany Onoki to the Kage Summit, she was nonplussed and stumped for words momentarily when her father raised his deep voice at her, something that she was very unused to._

_"That's because you behaved like the spoilt brat that you are and made your grandfather bring you along! I never agreed to let you go!"_

_The animosity in her eyes burned with even more fervour as she swallowed the distending lump in her throat, biting her lower lip at Kitsuchi's suddenly dissonant tone that easily matched her own. The two glared at each other across the stuffy room even as the setting sun illuminated the space with its majestic brilliance, the tension so thick it could be cut with a kunai._

_"I told you, I'm going to be fine. You don't have to worry about me on the battlefield, Father. I won't simply die on you like Mother and Uncle did."_

_Kitsuchi's tanned forehead creased even further as his daughter's low, disharmonious voice presented those impertinent words that were definitely meant to hurt. Utterly contumelious and brazen, the young kunoichi strolled purposefully to a corner of the room that was untouched by the evening rays and picked up two photo frames from the mantelpiece, before facing the bristling but unflinching man again._

_"You're always worrying about me for nothing. Why can't you see that I'm capable of taking care of myself? I'm not the one who got captured by Yakushi Kabuto at the Island Turtle, right? It was that useless Konoha man Yamato, wasn't it? I fended Kabuto off on my own and would have killed him with my bare hands if I had the chance, and we wouldn't even have to fight in this stupid war! I could have already ended it before it started!"_

_"It was this crazy kind of overconfidence that got your mother killed, Kuro!"_

_Now openly seething at his daughter's insolence and feeling the heat rising to even his bulbous nose, the inflamed man took two steps forward but stopped when she showed no sign of backing down. Instead, before he could retaliate, Kurotsuchi was now lifting the two photo frames up to chest level while she carried on speaking in that disparaging tone._

_"I'm not like her, Father. From what Grandpa told me... but not you because you'd always treated me like a little girl that I am no longer... Mother got herself killed in that spy mission because she wasn't a competent combatant. I'm skilled, I'm a talented fighter with so many deceptive moves up my sleeve. Why do you think Mugi and Yabuza look up to me? I've been capable of _Doton_, _Suiton_ and even _Yoton_ techniques ever since I was fourteen, Father! And even now I'm still adding not done! Even now I'm expanding my range and repertoire! What right do you have to stop me from contributing, from fighting alongside with my comrades in the vanguard of your division?"_

_Kitsuchi felt his bloated stomach gurgling, as if it was a previously dormant volcano now ready to erupt with molten magma of furor. His eyes were suddenly glistening with hot tears as scalding memories of his wife's untimely demise flooded his befuddled mind, thrown off balance by the steely words his daughter had expectorated with such intrepid mettle. The worst thing was that he realised that everything that Kurosutchi had spewed the past minutes was absolutely right; with the shinobi world gathering to repel the miscreant forces of Uchiha Madara and Yakushi Kabuto, there was no real reason why he should prevent an adept and skilled warrior like his spunky daughter from entering the fray._

_"Stop blaming yourself for their deaths, Father."_

_The mood took a sudden turn as the young lady mouthed those heartrending words, her tone losing its edge almost at once. As if on cue, the room was slowly dimming in the gloomy dusk as the sun grudgingly took its leave for the day, disappearing inconspicuously behind the sprawling mountainous range._

_"Just like how Mother... lost her life on that ludicrous mission, it's not your fault that Uncle chose to defect from Iwagakure with... with that woman who got him killed... who got him so brutally decapitated. There was just... just nothing you could do... for both cases."_

_"Yes. Yes there was, my dear Kuro... yes there was."_

_Hearing her father's desolation in his woe-filled voice silenced the youth; her expression softened as she stared at the two photographs she held, as forgotten thoughts of her mother resurfaced, threatening to overcome her just like all those empty, lonely nights when she had to cry herself to sleep. After the injudicious woman thought she had uncovered the mystery of her brother-in-law's shockingly violent death, she had impulsively rallied some of her fellow kunoichi to go after the group of Konoha ANBU responsible._

_When young Kurosutchi heard of the news of her mother's death from her wizened grandfather so soon after her uncle's, she was in a dazed stupor for weeks until a chance encounter with the boisterously loud and keenly ambitious traitor Deidara woke her up from her self-imposed reverie. As her eyes took in the frightful sight of buildings and structures exploding and bursting into wrathful flames, a bewildering sensation had coursed through her veins; Deidara's appearance, instead of spooking her out of her young wits, had instead reminded her of both her deceased mother and uncle at once - the wide grin he had flashed her as he made his rascally escape was reminiscent of her youthful uncle's own cheery outlook, while his flowing blonde locks were a stark intimation of her mother's own._

_"No, Father. The Iwa-nin takes the orders of the Tsuchikage very seriously, just like you do. Our rock-hard attitude is typical of us, for we will not hesitate to obey Grandpa, even if it means our death."_

_Inhaling deeply as he finally took a seat on his favourite stone chair, the taciturn Kitsuchi adopted his usual brooding posture, hanging his heavy head low as his elbows met his broad lap. Images of the jaunty and merry brother he had were fluxing his brain as he recalled how his younger sibling used to be the life of every party and helped him open up to people, even creating the golden opportunity for him to court Kurosutchi's mother. He took the frames from Kurosutchi's hands and as he studied both pictures, his heart sank once his beloved brother's generous, gregarious smile greeted his eyes. The photograph that his daughter had in her right hand displayed four convivial and contented faces, all filled with mirth and life, a distant memory of when his family had been whole._

_"Forgive Grandpa, Father. It's been so long since... since he banished Uncle from Iwagakure."_

_Lost for words as his long buried emotions surged excruciatingly up his tight barrel chest, he could only nod mutely as his thumb caressed the second photograph in the blanketing darkness, his aching heart filled with an unfathomable sense of remorse as he looked sorrowfully at the couple cuddling their baby lovingly, the man being his own cherished sibling, his angular face adorned by the family's trademark bulbous nose._

_The woman in the second photo was grinning just as perkily and animatedly as she coddled her infant, her rosy cheeks accentuated by loose strands of brown hair, which was otherwise tightly fashioned into two Chinese-style buns._


	108. Chapter 108

**Part 10: AGhast from the Past (13)**

"This is madness! I don't approve of this plan!"

The team was moving on full steam, the sense of exigency causing each and every one of the members to hasten their pace despite having just exerted much of their energy and chakra battling senseless chimeric beasts. The miraculous recovery of the Kumogakure blonde had taken everyone by incredulity, his voice growing more robust by the minute. Even though he was still a little too enervated to move on his own and remained on Kuromaru's furry back - much to his consternation - together with Ibiki, it was evident that his mind's alacrity had returned. What was stupefying for the rest to learn at the moment was the peculiar psychical experience C was extolling, his words flowing with a certain strength and firmness that had been starkly missing for the past hours.

"We don't have a choice, Tenten!" the Jounin yelled from his steed, feeling his teeth chattering violently as Tsume's canine companion bounded forward, cursing at the chafing he was feeling at his inner thighs. "Mubi says that..."

"Mubi this, Mubi that! How do you even know that was who you really saw? What if it's another one of Hiruko's traps?"

"Tenten may be right, young C," Kurenai's voice remained calm and soothing despite her steep landing from the forest's last tree, with every present shinobi breaking into a frantic full run into the open land ahead. "While in that realm you might have felt that his presence was real, but what you're saying now does sound like it could be another one of the zombie's plans to get what he desires."

Ibiki felt the young man's body tense for a few seconds as he tried to register the kunoichi's hesitation; his own prowess was working within his confounded mind since it was currently also filled with numerous dilemmas at play, tracking the rejuvenated sensor's mind patterns to see if they were still being kneaded and jumbled up by a higher power.

"Thanks for your concern but stop trying to read my dirty thoughts, Mr Morino. There're more pressing concerns here... now's also not the time to talk about Tenten, is it? Or have you decided to tell her just before we get to the mayhem ahead?"

The Tokubetsu Jounin almost fell from Kuromaru's back in his astonishment; he turned a back somersault with skilful dexterity and was soon running alongside the ninken, frowning in mock horror as C passed him a mischievous wink, indicating that his earlier secretive chat with Kurenai was safe, before he turned back to address the intransigent matter again.

"Even if you don't trust me... don't trust my abilities, Tenten, I am certain you wouldn't doubt your friend? Ino Yamanaka was in Mubi's realm as well, and she's putting the plan in place even as we speak."

Tenten almost faltered at that darkly ominous adumbration, her mind whirling as she willed her legs to propel themselves forward. She had wanted to retort that it was not about trust but held her tongue, as she realised that it did somehow make a difference that her bosom buddy was intricately involved in this odious situation. Besides, what C had revealed about Mubi made quite a bit of sense to what her earlier tussle with Oboro had admitted as well, that the poor sacrificial lamb was more peace-loving and much less gluttonous for power and glory.

"Tenten. Listen to C... I'm with two other Kumo sensors already. We will try not to go to the extreme but we may have no choice, my friend."

Almost spontaneously, as if on cue, the melodious cadence of Ino's lilting voice filled her mind, once again throwing her off guard. Stunned that her friend could actually reach her thoughts from such a credible distance, she could only reply with an affirmative but grim nod, an acute twinge of guilt riling her senses as she was hit by yet another realisation that just a while ago, she had actually been embracing the idea of letting Yotoi perish after getting almost fatally hurt by Hiruko. Within just a day, she had gone through so many obnoxiously nihilistic situations that no matter how recusant one could be, in the end, complicated compliances might still have to be made - compliances that would require making drastic sacrifices to determine severe outcomes. It was a bitter pill indeed, but it was one that she was forced to swallow once again.

Ironically, she had not even met the person whom Mubi had instructed both Ino and C to prepare.

"Wait... something... something's happening already!"

The alarm triggered by C's urgent cry was exacerbated by Hiashi's foreboding voice booming with outright trepidation that, "Kurotsuchi's in trouble! We need to get the plan in motion!"

"Everyone, stay back!"

Even if not for the astringent clamour from Division Two's General, the remaining thirty over Alliance soldiers would have stayed absolutely unmoving and frozen in their tracks. With the demented demon blathering stridently through obstreperous chortles and snickers, whoever was alive and still percipient was staring wide-eyed at the skeletal figure holding his prize up high for all to see. Though their fists and weapons were all raised and ready, there seemed to be no one present who knew how to handle this radical turn of events.

Shikamaru Naru emitted a stymied curse under his breath, his perspicacious mind crafting seven full strategies in within thirty seconds, none of which could ensure that the daughter of Division Two's presently incapacitated general could be kept alive. Though he had begrudgingly agreed to follow Ino's strategy, his memories were now being transported back to when Kakashi-sensei and his Sharingan had almost been assimilated by Hiruko back when he was still alive.

"Something's different... changed," the Nara teen scowled as General Darui stepped up beside him with Izumo, taking note of how many shinobi were left standing and how far each and every one of them was from the Edo. "Back then, Hiruko required specific constellations and solar eclipses to absorb his prey. Now it seems that accursed Kabuto's done something to... accelerate the process of assimilation... which is why his mind is currently in this state. I believe the more bodies he absorbs, the more he'd lose himself."

"We have to do something or we are going to have to lose General Kitsuchi's daughter," whispered Darui, his broad cleaver blade lowered to the ground helplessly. "I am sorry to be the cause of this."

"Not your fault, stop apologising," Shikamaru said curtly as he studied the ball of fire in the sky, his mind still calculating to seek any loophole he could recall from the Shumisen adventure he and his fellow Konoha peers had all been part of. As squad leader of that particularly exhilarating mission, he had been ready to follow the Fifth Hokage's seemingly ruthless plan of sacrificing Kakashi for the sake of Konoha's future; Uzumaki Naruto's uncompromising and relentless pursuit to rescue his sensei from Hiruko's vile clutches had unwittingly altered his own perception of what one's Will of Fire really meant from that day, even if it meant disobeying Tsunade's callous commands. "Ino's plan hadn't anticipated this major setback so we may end up having to... well, we may end up sacrificing another life."

"Let my daughter go! Take me instead!"

The zombie's ash sclera gleamed in its abysmal darkness as his scrambled mind took in the man's stoic words, so poignantly desperate and woeful that they seemed to actually trigger a faint sense of humanity. He turned from facing the imploring eyes of the supplicating male to stare at the young lady in his grasp, her head bowed and limbs hanging loosely from their joints and sockets. All he could see at this moment was yet another victim, yet another _Kekkei Genkai_ body to ingurgitate. He turned to present the Iwagakure general with the foretelling sign of his shark-like teeth, and saw that he had been joined by a trio; and though the lean youth with his black spiked up ponytail and green flak jacket seemed to register some kind of recognition in his brain, he found that apart from the vague familiarity, he was unable to pinpoint exactly who he was.

It was only then that he became cognizant of the fact that he was no longer able to remember the identity of the face that was still lingering hazily at the back of his mind, the weirdly masked young man in a full yellow bodysuit.

With a guttural gnarl, the resurrected being named Hiruko, once a brilliant scientist of Konohagakure and a peer of the legendary Sannin, did what his most basal instincts bade him to, even though he no longer seemed to know the end point of this trudging game - he devoured the girl by merging her limp body into his own. Even as he was relishing the sickening squishes and nauseating splintering of bones as he pushed the inert foreign body into the invisible crevassing fissures of his own, his vision stayed fixed on the beseeching general's haunted face; the man seemed to be turned to stone as he watched his daughter being fused into one with the enemy.

That was when he stopped in his tracks, a quarter of the kunoichi's body still protruding out of his rib cage. Everyone else in the vicinity was not moving or reacting to the gruesome sight as well, even the hovering giant's wings had ceased their flapping motion.

"_Genjutsu_."

The word was suddenly thrust into his thoughts and it took him a moment to break out of the induced trance. He found himself almost immediately arrested by the psychic presence of a blonde kunoichi in a green flak jacket, who was now willing him to release his vise-like grip on his apparently unharmed victim's collar. He watched through her eyes as a huge ninken and a feral looking woman snatched her away from his claw, and that was when he managed to free himself from the second assault.

"You... you imbeciles!" roared the sputtering Edo, who was actually feeling a strange thrill buzzing through his lifeless veins even though he had been robbed of his underground acquisition. "You'll all pay for this, you inferior fools!"

A hail of explosive-tagged kunai was raining down on the raving madman, even as the elevated boulder that Hiruko had been perched on blew up into pieces courtesy of the heartened man whose daughter had just been phenomenally rescued. The impact of each detonation sent his rock-imbued body reeling continuously backwards, as the keen-eyed summoner's precise timing of each and every blast prevented him from activating any assimilated technique from his wide repertoire.

"We... we are doing it," Tenten stammered, her entire body still tingling with the wave of relief that had washed all over her at the close call. Using the mind-link between C and Ino to communicate, her team had managed to pull together all the shinobi capable of _genjutsu_ - Kurenai, Aoba, Ibiki, C and Kotetsu - and got them to activate a single _Jibakugan_, the Self-Bondage Eye technique that was supposed to bring out their target's subconscious negative or hateful emotions so that they could control his movements. Though that had not worked, it managed to stall him by planting a hallucinatory image of what he perceived was happening and gave Ino sufficient time to hold him with her _Shintensen no Jutsu_ long enough for Tsume and Kuromaru to save Kurotsuchi from the demon's hands.

"If we can hold him back enough, and bring him down, then Takeshi can seal him!" the agitated teen gushed, her eyes shining as she saw her Konoha seniors take point in a _taijutsu_ furore. "We won't have to... then we won't have to act according to plan!"

"He can adapt his body to any material... any substance in the area, Tenten," Shikamaru announced, his narrowing eyes blazing as he studied how the Edo was fending off both Hiashi and Tsume at the same time. "I'm not sure if the Sunagakure sealing cloth can work here now... he even changed his body easily into the barrier that was encapsulating him earlier."

"We still have to try, isn't it? Before we lose all hope, we still have to try!"

"Tenten, the lives of thousands of soldiers are at stake here," Division One general's low baritone reached her ears. "I'd gladly play the sacrificial role here, but once Hiruko gets my Storm Release abilities, there's no telling what else he's capable of. He's already near unstoppable now."

Tenten turned away from Darui's deep eyes, a cold shiver creeping up her spine as she attempted to shake off thoughts of the foreordained. It was only when the Kumo swordsman gently reminded her that she herself had almost paid the price when she was wielding the Bashosen against Kakuzu's elemental masks did she finally come to grudgingly come to terms with the inevitable truth, that in order to stop Hiruko's rampage, one individual might have to willingly be absorbed into his resurrected body.


	109. Chapter 109

**Part 10: An Inheritor's Will (21)**

"This is madness! I don't approve of this plan!"

Yamanaka Ino shut her eyes in undisguised frustration at having her conversation so crudely hijacked before turning to the men behind her and hissing at them to keep their raucous voices down. Deep in her heart however, despite her current hostile countenance, she could genuinely sympathise with the group's arrant strife and blatant divisiveness; who would ever agree with a stratagem that would immolate one of their own?

"That lunatic can't hear us with the racket that's going on! Don't try changing the subject, little girl! We aren't going to do it!"

The other two sensors clad in Kumogakure outfits stood close by, both man and woman wearing morose expressions that seemed greatly subdued compared to the splenetic truculence hovering over the group. Studying the new entry to the battle arena, Mizuko watched the long-haired blonde teen admonish the four men with gusto, even if she could sense some reticence. Knowing that the girl hailed from the Yamanaka clan was indeed awe-inspiring, since the clan's renowned sensor abilities were reputed to surpass many others. Ino had been the one who had provided the telepathic link between C and his fellow Kumo sensors earlier, a feat deemed very worthy of praise in Mizuko's eyes. What made her admire the younger kunoichi even more was that the Captain of the entire Intelligence Division of the Allied Shinobi Forces was her father Inoichi, the esteemed head of the Yamanaka clan.

Right now though, was not the time for such obeisance or idolisation, since the sensors and _genjutsu_ users all had a crucial role to play if the plan was to work. While the others were distracting the revived missing-nin from Konohagakure, Ino and C were rallying the necessary mind power together. As C brought his members to the group already gathered, the flustered Magaki men got more aggravated, roiled at the pressure that was being imposed on them.

"What do you think this is? Strength in numbers?" Benten spat, his delicate features all distorted in his ire. "You can't just force us to..."

"They're not forcing us... not forcing me, Benten. I... I am... willing. I am ready."

Eyes either widening in muddled perplexity or softening in regrettable resignation were all directed at the kunoichi who spoke these brave words, the youngest shinobi among them all. Mizuko could feel her heart palpitating while looking at the teen with her shimmering dark-green eyes and strawberry blonde hair that cascade past her shoulders, realising that while she had been holding Ino with such high regard based on hearsay, this young girl was the one individual who definitely deserved her approbation and deference at this very moment. It seemed ironic that the individual that she, Bekkou and the Konoha Chunin had been preventing Hiruko from capturing earlier was now being offered on a platter so amenably to the Edo.

"Hotaru! No!" the androgynous Benten cried out in alarm, his long tresses flying back as he hurled himself forward toward his young charge. "You can't do this! It's not right!"

A single tear fell from her left eye, hushing the rest into silence. When she lifted her head again to face eleven pairs of concerned eyes, she inhaled deeply and gave a benign smile that belied the cold terror that had gripped her heart, the terror that was causing dozens of images to flood her mind all at once and causing an invisible tremor to course through her torso. Her muddled thoughts were filled with her Tsuchigumo clan, her village that she had almost obliterated single-handedly and her master who was once a missing-nin from Kirigakure and the _Jinchuuriki_ of Saiken, the Six-Tails back when he was alive. It was because of Utakata that she and the Magaki Group were donning Kirigakure shinobi outfits, in honour of his memory, and it was because of him that she had insisted on partaking in the Fourth Shinobi War.

As the shudder crept through her shoulders, Hotaru was peremptorily reminded of her clan's kinjutsu that was fused to her otherwise spotless back, the stark reason why she was tasked with this present heinous encumbrance. Memories of how Utakata and Uzumaki Naruto had saved her from the deceitful Shiranami and certain death replayed in her mind, her smile broadening with the pleasant reverie. It seemed that this time, however, she would indeed have to pay the ultimate price in a belligerent war that was supposed to protect Naruto, her benefactor, her saviour, her friend.

"I am ready. I would have died back then if not for Naruto and my _shishou_ Utakata, because of this... this burden that is my clan's secret technique," she asserted placidly, eyeing her mortified bandit friends who, over the past months, had somehow become her tutelary guardians despite their past discord and scrimmages. "This is for the greater good... and... and I can finally be released from this grievance..."

"Out of the question, child!" the Magaki leader had had enough, his pupils burning with unbridled fury as he locked eyes with the sensors who had started this abominable debacle. "We will stop that monster on our own, without this... this outrageous nonsense! Come on fellas!"

Before anybody could stop them, the Magaki quartet had diverted swiftly from the inane discussion, with the tanned man with the receding hairline and large shuriken strapped to his back lingering a moment longer, his pale face expressing his distress, before he leapt after his peers. Ino was about to perform her Mind Body Disturbance jutsu on them, but Ibiki's firm baritone stopped her just as she was raising her arms.

"Let them be, Ino. Those of us gathered here, we need time to get ready... to learn exactly what we need to do. We can't afford to make a single error here."

"Besides... if they can actually do something... if they do have something else up their sleeves apart from their failed barrier move, shouldn't... shouldn't we just let them try?" chimed in Kotetsu, who, like Aoba, was visibly unhinged by what was being expected of the young Kiri girl whom he and Izumo had protected just a while back. "Maybe... maybe then... we won't have to adopt such... such drastic measures."

The sombre look shot by Ino hushed the older Chunin; it was discernible from the sorrow etched on her fair face that this ghastly idea was hurting her acutely. Since, like C, the Yamanaka teen was the bearer of bad news from the deceased Mubi, she must be feeling utterly chastened and accountable for Hotaru's impending fatal ordeal. Learning that she had even been rescued by Naruto before exacerbated her penitence, especially as she watched Ibiki place his coarse hands on the younger blonde's skull to uncover the depths within her mind. Sniffling slightly, Ino wrapped her own arms around her, gripping her toned triceps firmly as she wished her father was with her at the moment, to relieve her from this heavy responsibility.

"_Hakke Hasangeki_!"

Having been exchanging blows with the delirious zombie for the past few minutes, Hyuuga Hiashi threw his whole body up into mid-air before emitting a powerful wave of chakra from his palm, aiming to attack Hiruko's vitals which he had pinpointed with his _Byakugan_. The puissant vacuum shell released by the Eight Trigrams Mountain Crusher hit his opponent squarely in his enlarged body, which had been reinforced with an impervious shield of solid rock. Slammed right into a low craggy cliff wall, the zombie was immediately pounced on two individuals attempting to cut him down with wind techniques.

"_Juuha Shou_! _Kazekiri no Jutsu_!"

Sunagakure's young warrior summoned chakra into his hands, having activated his Blades of Wind, before swiping wind-nature chakra waves controlled by his will and thoughts. Working in tandem with Takeshi's Beast Tearing Palm move was Tenten's Wind Cutter technique using elemental-imbued cutlasses unsealed from her right scroll, the wind gusts enhancing the speed and strength of Takeshi's chakra waves such that they seemed to be slicing viciously into Hiruko's body in rapid, successive motions, embedding it deeper into the rock wall.

"_Jinjuu Konbi Henge: Soutourou! Cho Garouga_!"

Woman and beast combined into a single entity, as the speciality of the feral Inuzuka clan saw Tsume and Kuromaru fuse into a two-headed wolf, drastically increasing their size and ferocity. With a single mind and purpose, kunoichi and _ninken_ commanded their body to spin forward, the ultra-violent rotation so stupendous that it created a vacuum vortex in its surroundings while it drilled madly into Hiruko's body until the cliff wall was blown apart into scattering pieces.

"Quickly, Takeshi! Before he..."

Hiashi's urgent plea skidded to a stop halfway as his mouth went dry, his Byakugan already detecting the screeching demon emerge blithely from the rubble, his initially scrawny form now fortified by even more jagged rocks. Feeling lost and distrait at how even his Konoha peers' dynamic Super Fang Over Fang had not even managed to cripple Hiruko in any way, the Hyuuga clan head actually failed to take notice of four approaching figures from behind until they sped past him, with their stalwart leader leaping directly over Hiashi and landing a few metres in front.

"_Denpo Seka_!"

With his three men passing their chakra to him, the livid and stern-faced Akaboshi slammed his palm hard onto the ground, causing blinding flashes of lightning from his hand to travel straight towards the pile of rocks where the tenacious Edo now stood. Right from underneath him, the Telegram Flash expedited upwards and started frying him with their trenchant intensity, wrenching his vocal chords apart as he ululated shrilly in undignified agony.

"_Doton: Sando no Jutsu!_"

Almost immediately, three distinct voices arose a collaborative unison, as the Iwagakure general and his fiercely inimical daughter pair joined forces with their fan-waving Konoha comrade to create two colossal rock walls that split the ground apart as they sprung up steadily from below and closed in from opposing sides at breakneck speed with tremendous force. Through tightly clenched teeth, Kurotsuchi grunted that she could not believe that they had to pull one of their most powerful moves on Hiruko but also added also that Tenten using the Bashosen had eased the difficulty of the technique yet raised the destructive potential.

"It still may not be enough!" Tenten turned her eyes skyward once she landed, her voice rising in both decibel and pitch as she yelled a single name, "Chouji! Now! Your _Choharite_!"

Diving down from at least fifty metres in mid-air with his chakra wings still flitting from his shoulder blades, the Akimichi teen giant funneled pure blue chakra into his hands, causing special quaint markings to appear on them. With the weight and power of his hands greatly spiked and his palms activated with so much concentrated chakra that it was visible to the naked eye, Chouji gave a mighty bellow as he used his palms like an iron hammer as he caved the gargantuan rock walls in, presaging extensive crushing damage to anything that might be caught beneath them.

"_Nunoshibari no Jutsu_!"

As he sent out his bale of cloth to work Sunagakure's Cloth Binding technique that had been paramount in the past day, Takeshi felt his heart in his throat as he moved forward, no longer caring about stealth at this importunate moment. Even though he could hear timorous cries of protest from his various comrades behind, he pursed his lips and tried to stay calm while he willed his white cloth to seek out his target amongst the rocky rubble, bent on avenging his fellow Suna sealer and the atrocities done to him.

"You should have listened to your friends, young lad."

Utterly confounded and shell-shocked to hear a low purr a mere five metres behind him, hearing Tenten shrieking "Duck!" in the next split second was not enough to save his turban and a good amount of his luxuriant ebony locks from being sliced. True to what Shikamaru had forewarned, the Edo was now using his fingers to produce razor-sharp cloth strips that he was shooting out at the rattled youth who was now stumbling over his own feet as his tightly bound turban fell loosely to the ground.

"_Yoton: Gomudama_! _Yoton: Gomuheki_!"

Takeshi found himself wrapped up in a viscous rubber-like ball that was immediately being hurtled quickly out of harm's way, its durability absorbing and dissipating the force of the cloth strips that were now being used as whip-like appendages. When he pried himself out of it, he saw that the two Kumo sensors had used this move to distract the demon while Bekkou stowed Takeshi away, with Mizuko having also created an enormous torrent of lava from the ground and formed it into a wall that possessed immense durability due to its rubbery consistency.

"The Kumo sensors... they're no longer with Hotaru!" Benten grabbed his leader's sinewy forearm as he took in the turbid scenes that were unfolding in front of them at a distance. "Akaboshi! We must do something! The sensors... they must be trying to carry out their plan right now if they not at Hotaru's side!"

"Come on, while that bastard's trapped in the viscosity of that gross mess!"

Seeing that Hiruko looked as if he was indeed somehow caught up in the dirty yellow gooey substance, Kurotsuchi was just about to reinforce the assault with her own Yoton techniques, when Shikamaru's clamant warning pulled her back. "Stop! Stop giving him more substances for him to adapt his body to!" As the rejuvenated kunoichi skidded to a halt, her father close behind, she saw four individuals take to the air in some sort of diamond-shaped formation. Within the next few seconds, the scattered observers witnessed the central figure getting powered up by his three accomplices and forming a lustrous behemoth shard in mid-air, with the four men within.

"_Shogyou Mujou_!"

After a seminal pause, the resplendent diamond broke into infinite gleaming shards, causing even the snarling demon to shield his eyes from the light reflected off them. Blatantly ignoring the Nara youth's urgent cry to retreat and not feed the Edo yet again, the Magaki group members in their own exigency to save their comrade from her mortifying fate, cannonaded their most formidable move, showering the area with streaks of white light as the shards rained down on Hiruko.

"They... they're trying to impale him with those shards," muttered Izumo, eyes stricken in wide-eyed disbelief. "Yamato told us... that's called the Impermanence of Worldly Things jutsu... it must be their most cogent technique!"

"Who can blame them... They're doing their best to eliminate Hiruko..." spoke Darui, the pain evident even in his lazy drawl. "So that their friend won't come to harm."

"They're just giving him more ammunition!" Shikamaru hissed with clear appetence, scowling even more than usual as his eyes darted back and forth the ensuing battle. "Damn it! He'll now have this new infrangible entity to play with! If this carries on, our original plan might not even work as well as we're hoping it would!"

Tenten unlocked her right scroll from her belt holster, and unsealed the Bashosen from it wordlessly, this time with little resistance even from Hiashi, who simply heaved a sigh of resignation. Seeing the youth's indomitability compelled Darui to sheathe his dull blade, with his surrounding comrades feeling a errant surge of energy in the air around him as black lightning enveloped his entire body while he breathed a "_Kuroi_ _Kaminari_" command. Before the two could advance however, they were both overwhelmed by the exorbitant escalation that transpired.

"_Doka: Sabaku Kyuu_! _Sabaku Sousou_!"

Emanating outright debauchery at how he was gaining so many techniques and abilities this effortlessly due to the sheer distress of the Alliance shinobi and the Assimilate All Creation technique from the Watari ninja corpse that he had been fed with, the unhinged zombie's eyes were bulging with pure lunacy as he rendered the shards inutile with the mucilaginous viscidity that the Kumo sensors' Yoton assails had puerilely gifted him. Once the Magaki men had their chakra petered out and succumbed decrepitly to the laws of gravity, Hiruko had adopted his rock-imbued form again before cursorily sending out a huge body of chakra-infused fine rock powder that was now speeding towards them. Having recognised that the quartet's steadfast leader, currently spent, was the biggest threat among them, it was no wonder who the Edo's target was.

"Akaboshi! No!"

While he was as debilitated as his other teammates sprawled out on the ground, the man was somehow still fast enough to react. Unstrapping his weighty shuriken from his scrawny back in his dazed stupor, he staggered a few steps before lunging forward right at the impending attack, his arms outstretched, his head thrown backwards in his readiness to be used as Hiruko's target board instead. The Assimilation: Sand Binding Coffin jutsu struck him squarely in his scraggy chest before the rock powder immobilised him completely; Tsume and Kuromaru retrieved the other three, a distraught Benten yelling hysterically as the _ninken_ scooted him and his friends efficaciously out of harm's way. Even as Hiruko's first attack bound and constricted his terrified victim completely, his following Assimilation: Sand Waterfall Funeral was a masterful follow-up, as the demon commanded his rock powder mass to implode and crush whatever was within the coffin.

The last thing the supposedly gutless and craven Chuushin remembered before he met his quick and painless death, was his whole world going red as his engorged eyeballs burst due to the immense pressure exerted on his head.


	110. Chapter 110

**Part 10: An Inheritor's Will (22)**

"Well... looks like your strategy is working... as usual."

Konohagakure's vernal Team 10 and newest version of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio watched from mid-air, the Akimichi maintaining his colossal form with his blue sprouted chakra wings still diffusing visibly from the shoulder blades of his back while he carried his teammates in his enlarged palm. His spiky-ponytailed friend emitted an acerbic grunt, keeping his back to the lone female as he replied, "It wasn't my plan to begin with, Ino."

"You know what I mean, Shikamaru. I'm not... I'm not blaming you or anything," came the tacit response, the hint of resentment from the earlier sentence ebbing. "I just... I just wish there was another way."

While Shikamaru continued scrutinising the ongoing battle of fulminating elemental furore and frenzied movements tersely, the blonde teen braced herself for her part in the plan that her teammate had bolstered with his innate shrewd insight and acuity. The highly charged atmosphere was now coruscating with devastating currents, with electrifying bolts detonating back and forth. A mental check told her that everyone else was in position, and since timing was of essence, the female Yamanaka had to stay on her toes.

"Just like how I told you last night that Tenten had no choice but to wield the Bashosen... just like how we had no choice but to fight Asuma-_sensei_... just like how Chouji had to get past his inhibitions to reach his current power up, you have little choice with this," the Nara youth continued, his tone firm and unyielding, and yet the girl could sense the glint in his eyes though she was not even facing them. "You've done some amazing things yourself since yesterday, Ino, and maybe we haven't been saying this enough, but you've been an inspiration to Chouji and I these few days. Your strength, your valour... you can do this, Ino. I am very proud of you and I am a hundred percent certain Chouji, Tenten and your father feel the same."

Feeling Chouji's chest heaving in full approval and amity coerced the girl to turn her head and catch the twinkling eyes and genial smile of the gentle giant. A brief nod and short exhalation later, the sensor was just about to express her gratitude for her friend's kind words but Shikamaru was once again dominating the conversation, and rightly so, by curtly stating yet another one of his sharp observations, "Strange... Tenten... something's different about Tenten... she's been swinging that fan for a while now but... she doesn't appear to be... she's not exhibiting the least bit of chakra exhaustion... not like yesterday."

It felt as though it was a reflex action for the acrid bile to rise up her gullet each time there was any mention of the Bashosen in relation to her friend's usage of the legendary ninja tool. At her current airborne position, she had a bird's eye view of the endless elemental tussle that was occurring below, though the resultant billows of smoke and debris from the latest clash were effectively shrouding the feuding combatants from sight. Forcing the tension in her body to abate, the blonde kunoichi mentally put her credence in her friend, just like how she was now being entrusted with shouldering such a heavy burden in the ensuing climax of this long-drawn battle.

"_Raiton: Daburu Kuropansa!"_

"_Raijuu Hashiri no Jutsu! Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu_!"

In the middle of a sweltering day, on a plateau of solid rock, creatures composed of pure electricity appeared in unison, brought to life by their mettlesome and spirited summoners. Having observed earlier that the Telegram Flash attack by the Magaki men had managed to cause Hiruko some anguish, the shinobi were wasting little time in conjuring their most effective techniques against him. After bearing witness to Chuushin's macabre execution, many of those present were keeping a cautious distance away, the appalling sight of the bloody remnants of his fresh corpse striking fear in their hearts.

Darui's generation of his unique Black Lightning, passed down to him by the Raikage, had taken form of two gigantic panthers who were leaping their way expeditiously forward. Similarly, the athirst twin hounds called forth by Tenten and the Bashosen's Lightning Beast Running technique were crackling with malicious intent as they gamboled, frolicking rabidly together with their black partners as they all charged ahead. The four lightning streaks reached the resurrected demon at almost exactly the same time, their inherent energy electrocuting him from within and causing him to howl in unbridled pain. As if that was not sufficient, the impassioned kunoichi's second wave had extended the water mass summoned over a large scale, surging and rising up to several metres in height before streaming straight down on to the wailing Edo in one big cascade, reminiscent of the technique's name Water Release: Great Waterfall. With water being a natural conductor of electricity, Hiruko's rock-imbued body was further pounded by the enhanced vigour of the greedy currents that were coursing through his entire being with ultimate glee.

"Is it... it's working isn't it?" Kurotsuchi exhaled breathlessly, her pink irises shining at the wondrous sight. "With that wretched zombie imbued with so many Doton-based techniques and keeping to his rock form, Raiton is the way to go!"

The trio of adults with her did not reply the plucky youth, Kitsuchi still anxious about his daughter already joining in the fight so soon after her most recent ordeal, while the two Konoha adults were keeping their senses alert and vigilant while they studied the unfolding scenes. Tsume's trademark sneer belied the pride she felt as she praised Shikamaru's ingenuity under her breath, before letting out a low whistle.

"Wow, it does seem that Konoha's Nara clan is really home of the most strategic geniuses, ain't it, Hiashi old man? Shikaku's boy is really so smart and quite a good actor, eh? How I wish Kiba had half his brains. Heck, who am I kidding? Ten percent is all I ask for!"

The Inuzuka woman's musings were totally ignored by the Hyuuga clan head, as his _Byakugan_ continued stalking the teen he was more invested in at the moment than the Nara Chunin that she was raving about. All around the area, the heated atmosphere continued sizzling with high-octane kinetic energy, but the anxious man was all ready to pounce forward if his dojutsu revealed any reason for him to, ever circumspect and vigilant. Right now, though he was expecting to render assistance at any moment, his heartbeat was accelerating not due to any physical exertion but the astonishment that was hitting him; as the kunoichi took a third swing with the Bashosen to summon yet another lightning assault, this time in the form of multiple blinding spears that struck the screeching demon all over his body, Hiashi could not sense the rapid chakra depletion that was supposed to occur.

"Strange... Tenten... she appears less... affected by the fan's chakra draining properties now, compared to yesterday," mumbled Division One's general, who, a distance away from the perturbed Hyuuga, was also contemplating the exact phenomenon that he was observing. As Darui stayed close to the ebullient teen, her ardour bubbling over with her blazing eyes and fervent countenance, he took a scant moment to scrutinise the determination etched on her almond-shaped face.

"We don't have time to worry about me, General Darui," the bitterness and rancour expelled through gritted teeth was almost enough to send the Kumo man recoiling. "If we're actually ready to send a young girl to the wolf's den, then a little chakra depletion shouldn't make you guys all antsy and worried. Follow up with your strongest Black Lightning jutsu if possible. If we can somehow retrieve Takeshi's sealing cloth, then we might still be able to win this."

The youth's glistening orbs softened slightly with her last sentence, before she climbed the air currents once again, the ethereal white frond laced with a deep red trailing behind her. As she turned her body full circle in mid-air while swinging the fan once again, hollering a truculent war cry that proved the internal strife and fury she held within, the Raikage's right-hand man blinked a few times half-wittedly before he steeled his gaze toward their common enemy once again, boosting his innate power for his upcoming showdown. If two kunoichi several years his junior could put their lives on the line for the benefit of mankind and the shinobi world, there was no reason a skilled Jounin like him could not endeavour to do the same.

"_Ranton: Barukku Hantingu!"_

While Tenten's lightning bolts were busy scrambling Hiruko's senses, Darui's Storm Release: Black Hunting was a visual spectacle for everyone involved in the coalition team; while it seemed as though this jutsu was employing the speed and manoeuvrability of his earlier Lightning Circus technique, his current move was executing the use of black lightning instead. Several lightning panthers were now bounding back and forth the severely disoriented zombie, slashing him unyieldingly with their crackling energy and not allowing him to regain his bearings. Guided by their master's thoughts and commands, the streaking beasts finally merged into one gigantic black panther, throwing its hapless victim high up into the air before it propelled itself after and swallowed him whole, exploding in a dazzling display of luminosity.

"Takeshi! Get your cloth bale so that we can ..."

Landing deftly while still gripping the long hilt of her prized ninja tool tightly, Konoha's mistress of weapons was crudely stumped when Hiashi announced laconically that the Edo was already picking himself up, his _Byakugan_ detecting movement at the site where Darui's critically epochal technique had disposed of him. Greatly discombobulated, the stricken girl turned around to find her comrades exchange silent and furtive glances, all apparently overwhelmed by the tenacity of one of Kabuto's omnipotent summons.

"He's standing... moving... but just as Shikamaru predicted, he seems to be losing his senses," Hiashi was reporting grimly, the blood vessels around his eyes protruding and pulsing rhythmically. "His chakra flow... is extremely unstable... I can sense that his brain patterns are very erratic as well."

"It means Darui and Tenten's lightning attacks have worked somewhat against his rock-based body," Kitsuchi nodded, his surly voice matching the austere mood at the moment. "Even though we can't seal him since he's still highly formidable, his current condition means that the plan can be carried out."

"Yes, indeed," Darui muttered feebly while catching his breath, down on one knee as he tried to replenish his chakra. "This means the other team... well it's time for the rest to act then."

Dropping to her knees as the bitter reality set in, Tenten finally felt her own energy diminishing at the same time with the words that the adults were exchanging. Feeling the weight of the Bashosen, she released her hold on the hilt and let it touch the rocky earth that had been broken up and laid waste to by the shinobi's earlier demolishing attacks. She swallowed the last bit of saliva in her dry mouth as she felt her Iwagakure friend's hand giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze as she squatted beside her, keeping her eyes peeled at the distant horizon as her sense of hope continued spiraling downwards. Even when Takeshi quietly appeared in her peripheral vision with his sealing cloth that he had salvaged, the young kunoichi made no further movement, perhaps finally accepting that the inevitable was just that.

"They... they've stopped... stopped attacking... those useless fools... those imbecile idiots... they know they can't... they can't stop me..."

His rejuvenating hardened body still filled with scorch marks that were giving him an aura of misty smoke, the bug-eyed zombie exposed his gums and pointy teeth in a toothy grin while he staggered forward. Transferring some chakra to his palms, he was just about to activate both _Shakuton_ and _Bakuton_ moves at the same time to punish the wretched souls who had dared to defy him, when he stopped abruptly before spinning around and darting ahead so speedily that his movements were nothing more than blurry motions to the naked eye. His misshapen right claw grabbed the stumbling kunoichi's bare neck and lifted her entire body off the ground, his sclera glowing with mild recognition at the struggling blonde girl.

"Well well well, you thought you could sneak up on me, you little wench?" Hiruko crowed as he cloyingly drew blood off Hotaru's previously unblemished face, causing the young teen to bite her lower lip as she tried to stifle the anguished cry that was forcing itself out of her throat. "I was... I was hunting you earlier, wasn't I? Because... because..."

Hot tears were streaming down the kunoichi's flushed face, a long strip of flesh flapping gorily off her right cheek. Her earlier bravado was long suppressed, and the rising bile was giving her the urge to hurl. Though she had not seen first-hand how Chuushin had met his demise, she could easily imagine how grisly it must have been, when the blonde Konoha sensor informed her of the loss of her friend. Even when she was queried one last time if she was absolutely willing to pay the ultimate price, her affirmation had been resolute. Now that she was gazing right into the demon's petrifying eyes that seemed to be robbing her of the ability to form coherent words, her courage was undeniably wavering. The depthless orbs seemed to be penetrating her soul, as if they were peeling every layer and unearthing all her secrets; the chills running amok down her spine were causing her to kick her legs weakly and her face to be etiolated, thoroughly drained of blood. Her heightened senses were barely registering the puny gremlin's words, which now seemed to be just rambled nonsense as he fought to maintain some sense of rationality.

"I wanted to... wanted to absorb you... to assimilate the _kinjutsu_ implanted on your back," muttered the grey-skinned Edo incomprehensibly, globs of spittle trailing from his lipless mouth. "I... you... you possess something... unique, isn't it? If I eat you up... I'll gain incredible power..."

"You... you sick freak... just kill me and get it over and done with," Hotaru managed to stammer after spitting on her captor's reviled face, as she mustered the last ounce of life into her vocal chords. "Don't... don't use my power to harm my friends... the Alliance!"

"Well, then that's exactly what I'll do, you little brat," Hiruko finally managed to extract a piercing scream from the girl by tearing the flesh off her cheek, putting it into his gaping mouth and gnashing on it deliberately. "After gobbling you up, I'll make my way to your troops on the beach and use your power to vanquish everybody there!"

It happened all so quickly that within a few moments, Hotaru found herself scrambling frantically, her hands reaching out and clutching the ground as she realised that the lower half of her body was already connected to the demon's flagrantly corporeal form. She felt excruciating pain course through her entire being and not just at her fingertips that were leaving bloodied trails on the ground, her nails having been broken off by her vain attempts to extricate herself from being merged with the bawling demon; Hiruko's previously pulverised body was exerting such an unflinching vacuum force that it was practically useless to fight against it. As she felt her organs being exquisitely crushed from within her tender body and the sockets at her shoulders come apart, effectively disrupting her efforts to pull herself out of this ghastly abyss, Hotaru of the Tsuchigumo clan gave one last desperate ejaculation, calling out , for the very last time in her young life, the name of her _shishou_, Utakata of the Hidden Mist Village, one whose life had also been so cruelly robbed at his prime.

"She... she's gone. He... Hiruko... he did it. She... she was suffering... she was in lots of agony..."

Hiashi's voice teemed with severity and grief, rousing the others to shuffle uncomfortably as they exchanged guilty looks. Kitsuchi felt himself trembling as he held his daughter close, his mind filled with the jarring memory of how she had almost fallen to the Edo's demonic clutches. Understanding his thoughts, Kurotsuchi leaned back into her father's embrace, keeping her usual defiant, spitfire personality at bay. Even Tsume and Kuromaru appeared uncharacteristically subdued, keeping their heads bowed as they observed a moment's silence. Darui was about to address his team, but just as he was taking a breath, the brown-haired female teen a few metres away picked herself up, together with the revered fan, and walked a few steps before turning around, her knitted brows and furrowed eyes portraying her acerbic wrath.

"What are we all waiting for? She's done her part, hasn't she? Shouldn't we do ours now?"

He stared blankly at his shriveled hands, basking in the new sensations rushing through his being due to his newly acquired guerdon, his ravaged mind trying to make connections that were flitting in and out of his consciousness. Due to him keeping mostly to a rock-based form as a form of defence against his assailants, he had been subjected to trenchant and calamitous _Raiton_ attacks from the dark-skinned general and the elemental fan wielding girl. Though his body was still triumphantly hardy enough to withstand those devastating assaults, it felt as if his volatile mind had been scrambled greatly. Just like how he had vaguely recalled preying on the blonde girl clad in Kirigakure attire only when encountering her up close before he assimilated her, his disconcerted mind was now unable to determine why he had seemed to have targeted the white-haired ebony man earlier.

All he understood at that moment, was his undying thirst for blood, his unquestionable desire for him to exact wide-scaled massacres with his innate and borrowed abilities.

"This... this girl... I can't seem to... activate her powers within my body, whatever they were..."

"_Bubun Baika no Jutsu_!"

"_Kagemane no Jutsu_!"

"_Shintensen no Jutsu_!"

Swooping in steadily and releasing his leaping friends from his grasp, Akimichi Chouji's augmented fist, critically enlarged and looming with fearsome potential, slammed Hiruko right into the ground again, forming a colossal palm imprint in the middle of the rocky earth. Shikamaru's Shadow Imitation technique came into play next, his own shadow cast by the majestic sun merging with the zombie's own and creating those precious few seconds for his female teammate to enter his mind with her Mind Disturbance prowess. This time however, Ino was no longer working alone, as her psychic link with the other sensors and genjutsu users helped her to activate the forbidden technique that had been stored in Hotaru's body.

"_Kinseijutsu Kaihou: Tenchi Kaibyaku_!"

The resurrected being named Hiruko felt nary a thing when the gigantic hand pounded him further into the rock, nor did he even bother to react when he felt the kid's shadow attempt to bind him to his will. It was only when he felt the blonde girl's essence in his mind again did he try to put on a fight, but to no avail. As he heard several voices chorus the refrain "Forbidden Life Technique Release: Creation of Heaven and Earth" in his head, he found his senses dulling almost immediately, as if someone had managed to remove his brain entirely from his skull. He knew, at that particular split second, that he had fallen into the shinobi's painstaking trap, that his second wind on earth had indeed come to an end and that he would no longer be able to commit any more tyranny in the shinobi world.

And somehow, Konohagakure's Hiruko's final thoughts were ironically those of peace.

"Ino! Get yourself out of there quickly!"

Managing to transfer her mind back into her own body, the kunoichi quickly released the link between her and the rest, her face florid and feverish due to the latest high-staked gamble that she had pulled off with her clan's most renowned jutsu. If she had not timed her exit well enough, she could very well have been lost forever in Hiruko's realm, together with the other seven shinobi she had mentally linked herself with. Stumbling into Tenten's arms, the Yamanaka youth saw that the rest of the team had gathered, eyes filled with awe and wonder at the sight of an almost non-moving, non-threatening Hiruko.

"So, the activating of the Tsuchigumo clan's technique really erased Hiruko's mind? He... he really became a passive vessel for the technique?" Izumo gushed, his excitement clear as day to see their treacherous foe reduced so spontaneously to this trance-like state, his grey sclera devoid of any life as he started moving forward with an unorthodox reddish aura swirling around him. "What... what's his body doing now then?"

"He's accumulating natural energy from the earth and atmosphere... Stay back, everyone. Let Takeshi seal him now."

Kurenai's benign warning held the rest of the shinobi back, while the male Suna youth sent his cloth after the departing zombie. When the thick strip fell lifelessly to the ground a mere metre away from its target, the ebbing tension in everyone's body began rising again.

"It... it's not working!" Takeshi exclaimed, his own eyes widening in stark disbelief. "I'm not sure why, but... but I can't seem to get my cloth to do my bidding and seal this hideous monstrosity!"

"We told you you shouldn't have done that... shouldn't have harnessed something you didn't understand."

Akaboshi and his remaining teammates came into view, faces etched with sorrow and antagonism at the loss of two of their friends. The swarthy leader was addressing the other shinobi in a churlish manner, as if gloating that something unexpected and unfavourable was happening to them yet again. His puffy eyes were now straining to study the mindless Edo that was moving further away, the activated seal that had appeared on his scrawny back glowing with untapped energy.

"You've probably played into the enemy's hands," he was now snickering, gulping the limp in his throat as he recognised the intricately woven seal that used to be owned by his recently bereaved friend. "This Mubi or whoever the hell it was that appeared in your sensors' minds... he must have planned this... to activate the Fury technique so that Kabuto can... can win."

Tenten could see the colour drain from both Ino and C's as Akaboshi's words struck a very sensitive nerve. Both sensors wore gaping mouths at the moment, at a loss for words because there was no way of finding out if that was indeed the truth. Based on Mubi's concoction, everything would have ended once Hiruko absorbed Hotaru's body and Ino activated the _kinjutsu_ seal with the aid of the rest, giving Takeshi free reign to seal him efficaciously. Now faced with the very likely possibility that they had been played and with no obvious way of sealing the brain-dead demon, the shinobi could be dealing with a massive desecration if the kinjutsu was allowed to gather enough chakra to become a weapon of mass destruction.

"It's already starting to absorb our chakra, and very soon, will be detonating itself. And when that happens, I'm positive even your troops all the way at the beach would be destroyed, General Darui. Then it'll all be for naught, won't it?"

"We... we can still help, Akaboshi."

The burly leader froze, his teammate's words wiping the sneer from his face. He turned to face both of his remaining men, aghast that Nango had chosen to speak out of turn. When the bristling man gawked wordlessly at the pair, his imploring eyes begging for them to explain why they would even want to do that, the other man spoke with much more assurance than the first.

"Because that's the right thing to do, Akaboshi. Because it would have been what Hotaru would want... even what Chuushin would have wanted. Let their sacrifices not be in vain, Akaboshi. You know we are right about this."

Benten's mention of their two lost friends caused a very visible tremor to course through him, as he kept his gaze fixed on the rest of all those who were present, those who had sent his young friend to her early grave. He seemed unaware that his tears were streaming down his face as his mind kept replaying the scene of how one whom he had frequently bashed and treated harshly had actually leapt right into the fray and taken a fatal blow for him. Benten and Nango now stood at either side of him, their warm hands gripping his shoulders firmly, allowing him to take just one more moment of hesitation before he closed his eyes with a weary sigh.

"_Shippu Jinrai_!"

Within the next half a minute, the remaining trio of the Magaki Group was trapping the soulless zombie in a pyramid-shaped barrier, the Hurricane Thunderclap technique that had killed many others with its almighty explosive power. The other shinobi had all scattered themselves around out of harm's way, keeping a vigilant eye on the being within the purplish-pink prison, wondering if the group's unorthodox moves could really vanquish one as lethal as the Edo.

"It's no use," Benten squirmed from his corner, perspiration trickling down his neck and matting his long hair to it. "Without Chuushin, we don't have full power to do this..."

"Even... even if we let the _Dohasuten_ run its course within the barrier, the ensuing explosion might still not be... contained within this barrier," Nango grunted, the muscles on his arms twitching in his exertions. "And we might not be able to maintain this much longer, Akaboshi. He's just sucking up all the chakra that we're putting in this!"

"Then there's only one thing to do, and we will need your help, Tenten of Konohagakure!"

The startled girl extricated herself from her friend's grasp and vaulted forward, bringing herself close enough to take in the words of one whose stalwart heart had to be hurting so much at the moment, yet was choosing the right thing to do in order to stand by his friends' beliefs. Stifling a gasp as the man made his intentions clear, she turned to look at the other two at the other ends of the triangular formation and saw that they were both wearing unreadable facial expressions, their eyes only focused on keeping their barrier formation up. Tenten glanced backwards at her bewildered friends, saw the quizzical look that Shikamaru shot her and immediately knew that he understood. The lines on his face softened considerably when their eyes met, and he had little choice but to heave a heavy sigh and nod.

"_Cho Shippu Jinrai_!"

"_Rairyuu no Tatsumaki_!"

The bystanders watched in anticipation as a second purplish barrier weaved itself over the three men, containing them within. With the double barriers now in place, the kunoichi raised the Bashosen and with a series of well-handled swings, conjured a whirling vortex of wind and electricity that took the form of a dragon's head. While Tenten had summoned a similar jutsu earlier at the medical compound a couple of hours back to handle the White Zetsu army, this elemental mystic now had a very different purpose. Her eyelids blinked rapidly as she forced herself to be ready for her next motion, for with another swing of the Bashosen, the dragon vortex was now scooping the barriers up within its confines and soaring swiftly upwards into the clear cloudless sea of blue above.

It was only when a blinding flash of white light appeared that spread itself out until it dissipated in the azure heavens above that Tenten finally collapsed to the ground together with her ninja tool, her eyes no longer able to excrete any more moisture.


	111. Chapter 111

**Part 11: History and Her Story (1)**

"You... you left this behind before... well before I got attacked by that bitch of a mutant Zetsu clone. I hope you still want it."

Yamanaka Ino's bright eyes sparkled as she felt the familiar weight of the gleaming blade on her outstretched palms, the sight of her well-used _tanto_ somehow rousing a kind of comforting warmth that had been absent for the past hour or so. She was about to ask why in the world would Tenten imagine she would not want it back, but the flagrant memory of how she had petulantly left her blade behind the night before in a piqued state held her tongue. The two kunoichi walked side by side as they followed the rest, both lost in their thoughts while they made their way back to camp. All around them, the signs of their earlier scrimmages were present, be it the strewn rubble, scorched debris or smouldering fresh craters that were still emitting lazy smoky tendrils. As they passed the congealed mess of flesh, bone and rock particles, the older teen mumbled, "They all perished. Every single one of the group... they all paid with their lives, and chose to do so."

The blonde lowered her head in mild consternation, the slight uplifting in mood with the return of her tanto so rapidly quashed by the mere mention of their fellow comrades, whom both of them had barely known. Never in her young life had she felt this wretched and morose, for she had never used her abilities to knowingly cause harm to someone as young and innocent as the Tsuchigumo girl. She had been so convinced by her experience with Mubi and C in that psychic realm that when Akaboshi questioned if both sensors could be totally certain that the dead Amegakure ninja had not taken them for a ride, she had been genuinely stumped, lost for words as her mind reeled in horror at that heinous possibility.

"You did what you had to do. Good job, by the way, my dear friend."

The warmth of her friend's delicate fingers intertwining with her own provided some assuagement; the tenderness and affection in Tenten's dark brown orbs placated the girl slightly and she returned the pressure on her hand with a mild giggle, her facial muscles relaxing a little. After the few hours of being separated, the two Konoha Chunin relished each other's company for a while, with Tenten sharing her adventures and giving her some information about her earlier scuffle with the dastardly caitiff Oboro and what he had revealed about Mubi.

"You see, Ino? I don't think Mubi could have coerced you two to sacrifice Hotaru just to activate her _kinjutsu_ on us all," Shikamaru offered, munching on some chips that Chouji had brought along as fuel. "Kabuto wouldn't have known of Hotaru's presence or ability, unless Mubi reported it back to him and he conjured that plan immediately after that. But seeing that he hasn't been saving his Edo Tensei summons by recalling them back like Toroi earlier, I'd say his attentions may be diverted elsewhere at the moment. And based on what you and Tenten are saying, Mubi was very much a victim as well, the terrible way he was sacrificed. Kabuto obviously didn't count on his consciousness still sticking around with whatever he had done when he used his body to revive Hiruko."

Ino tilted her head towards the direction of C who was walking briskly ahead with the division general and the other two Kumo sensors. Just at that moment, the male blonde coincidentally turned his head and caught her disoriented gaze, which he returned with an affirmative nod and a solacing smile. There was no need for either of them to link their minds telepathically anymore for both to understand each other's thoughts. Bracing herself and taking a deep breath, she flashed her trademark grin at the young man, feeling the pallor leave her cheeks with all the reassurances that her friends were giving her, even managing a small wave with the hand that was not grasped, only to find her confidante wear a sneakily knowing smirk when she turned back.

"I know he's your type, Ino, but is now really the right time to be flirting, even if he is really dashing?"

Shikamaru was stunned for a moment to hear the girls behind him suddenly burst into laughter, their timorous voices crisply out of place right in the middle of a deathly sombre trek back to the beaches. Shaking his head while he continued munching on the heavily salted chips, he was heedful not to say anything that sounded chauvinistic in case the two girls ganged up on him once again like all those stressful times before back ij Konoha. With the wearisome situations they had had to deal with since the day before, each more precarious and dicier than the last, it was actually remarkable that the kunoichi could find something to be giggling about right after such an intense battle.

Besides, the keen-eyed teen from the Nara clan, reputed for their strategic ingenuity and phenomenally astute observation skills, was paying much more attention to a few adult shinobi, whose behaviour and actions were captivating his sharp mind more than his chattering female friends.

When C had acknowledged Ino's look, right after the latter waved at him, Shikamaru had noticed his genial face adopt a crestfallen look almost immediately when he saw Tenten looking at him as well, before he quickly turned back to seemingly address his Kumo peers. Before that, the Nara youth had also kept a close watch on two other pairs of adults, all from the same village as him. Hiashi wore a fretful look while he communicated with an equally apprehensive Tsume, and it was extremely evident to the Chunin that the Hyuuga clan master was keeping his _Byakugan_ active since the Inuzuka woman kept turning back every now and then towards the direction of the girls, her eyes solemn and doubtful. Kurenai's hushed whispers with the stone-faced Ibiki were also suspicious, especially when she seemed to be urging him to do something, despite her supposed placating tone and mild demeanour.

"Something's happened... or seems to be happening," he mused as he reached into the almost empty foil packet absent-mindedly. "They're all worried about Tenten, for one reason or another."

"Something's up again, isn't it Shikamaru?"

Chouji's innocent query caught him a little off-guard, since he had been trying to act as nonchalant as possible while keeping his eyes peeled for more clues and information. Before he could muster a response, the beady-eyed cherub shot him a cold, deadpan look as he droned, "You ate that whole second pack of my potato chips, and that's your most detested flavour. I know you're either putting up a front of enjoying them, or you don't even know what you've been gobbling for the past few minutes!"

His eyes widened as he realised that he had been ruining his taste buds with the loathed salt and seaweed flavouring he had been filling his mouth with. The next few moments saw the dark-haired male coughing and spitting, and drowning his mouth with water, and his rotund buddy gleefully snickering away at him cursing away at not being told earlier. Once he had stopped spluttering, the conversation became more serious again, with Shikamaru taking Chouji into his confidence about his observations for the past minutes. The Akimichi nodded and frowned sporadically, intrigued by his pal's discerning perception for the second time in the past hour; earlier, he had actually bristled with pride as the other shinobi were visibly awestruck by Shikamaru's stratagem - apart from the Magaki group, it had been a feint for the rest of them to act flabbergasted and traumatised as they allowed Hiruko to absorb more earth-based techniques so that Darui and Tenten could do more substantive damage with their lightning jutsus.

"So you're saying... they are hiding something about Tenten? From Tenten herself? Could it be about what you said earlier... about how she didn't seem worn out any longer by the fan she's using?"

Shikamaru acknowledged his friend's questions with an assertive nod, his eyes actively darting back and forth the few groups of people he was scrutinising, his analytical brain still connecting intricate dots from the present clues.

"I am quite certain Hiashi is studying Tenten's chakra flow with his _dojutsu_ and has been doing so for some time. For some reason he and Tsume, and even some of the rest who came back with Tenten, have been paying lots of attention to her using the Bashsoen during the battle with Hiruko. The most obvious one is still C though. He actually seems extremely... hesitant... aggrieved even, when he happens to throw furtive glances at Tenten. And based on what they've shared about his ordeal with Hiruko earlier and seeing that his sensor abilities are quite advanced, I am wondering if he actually knows something about her but can't bear to share it for some reason. And I truly doubt it's something pleasant."

Chouji listened intently as he lumbered along, keeping the same deliberately relaxed pace as his best friend. He could not help but stare at the backs of Ino and Tenten as the two basked in the alleviated atmosphere, sharing comforting words with their arms wrapped around each other's shoulders as they sauntered briskly along. The older kunoichi dressed in Iwagakure's signature maroon soon joined in the temporary reverie, convivial and affectionate as she also placed her arm around Tenten, apparently having also formed a firm friendship with her during their adventures together in the past day.

"What... what if despite what she said about ... manipulating the Bashosen's powers to imbue her weapons with elemental properties ... she's actually facing some ... harmful side effects now?" the Akimichi ventured, stammering diffidently as he turned to face Shikamaru again. "I mean... she may not be having her chakra drained now... which is weird in itself since General Darui has said these ninja tools do that... but... but who knows if something is happening within her body?"

With a wry grin, the Nara youth confirmed that that was one of his conclusions at the moment, just as the base camp of Division One came into view. Patting Chouji's back, he sighed while shaking his head, knowing pretty well that he would have to broach the topic with Tenten, but just as he had made up his mind to do so, his eyes flashed wide open when his father's low and militant voice brusquely invaded his mind without any warning,

"Shikamaru, listen to me. Don't talk to Tenten about the Bashosen yet."


	112. Chapter 112

**Part 11: History and Her Story (2)**

_"_Futon: Shinkuuha_!"_

_Her assailant took a deep breath, spinning while exhaling to compress the released air into a solitary blade of wind that threatened to cover a substantial area around her due to its circular motion. The kunoichi swerved past the resulting sharpened blast of the Wind Release: Vacuum Wave jutsu as it sliced through the thick rock boulders that she had been hiding behind, cleaving them neatly as if they were nothing but mushy jelly. Knowing that despite the distance it had travelled the wind blade would still deal grievous damage, she leapt away dexterously, hoping that she had bought adequate time for her family to flee._

_"Come out and face me, traitor! Come out and meet your doom!"_

_Unsheathing her katana from her back as she braced herself for another clash, the ANBU turned and peered past the luxuriant vegetation where she had forced her husband to take refuge and flee under the cover of the trees. Of course, with the potential tempestuous storm that her predator could easily whip up with his cutting wind techniques, he could level the whole area if he wanted to. _

_Two headless bodies lay sprawled out on the ground nearby, both wearing the trademark red straps on their shoulders like all Root members as a sign of allegiance to the clandestine organisation. It had been a fleeting scuffle, with the young woman taking them out as quickly as she could so that they would not be able to share what they had found out about her with their leader. She was stupefied that he had actually appeared to take matters in his own hands instead of simply trusting his lackeys to do his dirty work, to punish those he had judged as guilty of treason. _

_It seemed that it was no longer sufficient for Shimura Danzo to play the role of judge and jury... he was now also intent on becoming the executioner as well._

_"I won't warn you again, Miyame Gekkou! I'll head back to the quaint little village you've been hiding out in and take out everyone there! You'll be the cause of all their deaths! Every single last one! Every man, every woman and every child!"_

_His words thundered through her eardrums and reverberated in her brain where they had set root and - she knew it was not an empty threat. Though Danzo would not want to be accused of starting an international incident so near Kumogakure and plunge Konoha into further turmoil, the village that Miyame had resided in for the past few weeks of convalesce was secluded enough for him to commit his atrocities and leave him enough time to cover his tracks. The bounteous kindness bequeathed to her by the altruistic, eleemosynary villagers could never ever be repaid, and she was not going to let them all perish in a totally unprecedented and lurid massacre._

_"_Hiken: Tsukikage_!"_

_Summoning half a dozen clones, all donning the same ANBU black and grey armour and white porcelain panda mask that she had morphed into once she had suspected that she was being stalked, the _kenjutsu_ expert blitzed her way towards the belligerent Root faction head, all seven figures attacking him with a vertical sword strike. It took only a moment for the older man to get his bearings as he retaliated against her Secret Sword: Moonlight move with his own wind slashes. Using his hand and creating multiple blades of wind, the bellicose elder was able to fend off the strikes easily, recovering instantly from being snuck up upon by so many bodies who were leaving blurry traces of after-images as they retreated. _

_"I see you haven't lost touch with your skills despite sleeping with the enemy, you whore!" came the expected cantankerous bellow, the speaker's unbandaged eye was blazing with vehement abhorrence. "Even though you look a little fuller now that you're living a good traitorous life, you're still as swift and nimble I see!"_

_Miyame clenched her teeth while trying to ignore the outright audacity of Danzo's venomous words. Her heart and mind elsewhere, she could only glare at the detestable man behind her mask, knowing that no matter how she tried to defend herself again, he would not listen. Furthermore, she was aghast that he had mentioned her weight gain, and counted her lucky stars that he had not found her sooner when she had just given birth several weeks back or worse, when she was still heavily pregnant with her daughter. While her clones continued hacking away at him, she felt bile rising in her throat as she stared at his black shaggy hair, black and grey robes over his white shirt, his bandaged right arm still held within his robes. The imposing prowess he beheld on that shrouded right arm was legendary, and most would pay heed to take to their heels before he revealed his three golden Sealing Arm Braces and fearsome machinations within that limb. _

_"_Futon: Shinkuudama! Shinkuugyoku_!"_

_Large Vacuum Balls of wind chakra were now spat out of his mouth, their inherent power taking out the nearest clone, before in immediate succession, smaller blasts were expelled and dispersed over a more expansive range, making it impossible for two other clones to avoid, getting haplessly pierced through as the Vacuum Sphere technique collided into them like bullets, vanquishing both in a puff of smoke. Greatly alarmed at how the one-armed man could be so proficient with Wind Release nature transformation with simply exhalations from his mouth, Miyame activated the ANBU tattoo on her right arm to channel her chakra into it, an action which propelled the blades of her remaining trio of clones to turn a crimson red. All three now burst straight at the crazed man, slashing him upwards into the air with their Drilling Crimson Blades before Miyame's real form appeared instantaneously above Danzo in mid-air and delivered a sharp, drilling slash down upon him, impelling him to the ground. _

_Danzo manoeuvred his way out quickly before lunging toward his prey, who now delivered yet another blinding slash that pushed him away from her. Vaulting high up into the air above him, she removed the two ornamental needles from her hair, effectively releasing the twin buns it had been fashioned into, and flicked them downwards, calling upon her Heaven's Needle Barrage move that multiplied her implements by the hundreds. _

_"You impudent wench! Submit to your master! Submit to a superior being and die for your sins! _Futon: Shinkuujin! Kaiten Shuriken_!"_

_Having blown vacuum-like chakra onto the dozen shuriken he had summoned while being assaulted by the clones, Danzo had turned them into massive spinning buzz-saws that warded off most of the long ornamental needles, but at least a dozen were now protruding from various parts of his body. The incensed man was now exhaling wind-infused chakra onto a lone kunai, effectively transforming it into a makeshift scimitar that had greatly increased range and lethality. Dozens of rotating shuriken appeared around him, all infused with his unique chakra, and with several ferocious slashes of his scimitar, they were all flying expeditiously at the afflicted kunoichi and her clones, propelled greatly by his cutting wind chakra._

_In that split second, Miyame knew that in her enervated state, she would not be fast enough to avoid the barrage of projectiles and elemental slashes._

_"_Nezumi Kedama_!"_

_Ominous shadows merging with the ground under the immense cloud cover were now flaring and dancing in an explosion of light, as the atmosphere was stridently heated up by an intruder's fiery attack. A flaming ball of hair had been expunged from the newcomer's mouth, assuming the shape of a mouse engulfed in blue flames, but in the next moment, that one lone ball had continually split into individual ablaze hairs. The stupendous amount of flaming projectiles now pursued and homed in on Danzo's own individual airborne blades, detonating each and every single one of them once they came into contact. _

_"Yugito!"_

_The younger kunoichi turned and greeted her with an impish grin, her long, straight blonde hair swishing lightly in the night breeze. Decked in a short-sleeved black and purple blouse and black pants, both decorated with cloud designs, she was now clenching and unclenching her gloved fists, a chain of blue beads wound tightly around her bandaged left hand. Having turned fourteen just a few weeks back, coincidentally on the very day that Miyame had given birth, the precocious teen now adjusted her Kumo forehead protector before furrowing her eyes and facing Danzo again._

_"I'm sorry I'm late, Miyame-_ni chan_," she breathed, her voice filled with a mixture of grit and excitement. "You should go! I'll take care of this old geezer!"_

_Protesting with a curt "No way!" while lifting her panda mask, a sheen of cold perspiration on her smooth complexion, the Konoha kunoichi urged the girl to leave her be, her tone flustered and pressing. Yugito winked but kept her scowl, reminding her older friend that she was only two when she was made the _Jinchuuriki_ of the Two Tails and had been through intensively execrable training since to wield its power._

_"You're the host of Matatabi, I see," Danzo's churlish voice rang resonantly across the horizon. "My quarrel is not with you, girl. Do not get in my way and return to Kumogakure!"_

_"You don't tell me what to do, old man! I won't let you hurt Miyame-_ni chan_! _

_Before Miyame could catch her next breath, the pubescent girl was already streaking across the distance, her speed so astounding that she breached the hundred metres in two seconds, the nails on her fingers lengthening immediately as if ten blades were being unsheathed from her flesh. Yugito's Claw Creation technique was enhancing the strength and durability of her elongated nails, fending off Danzo's scimitar thrusts with her own slashes. _

_"_Mikazuki no Mai! Konoha-Ryuu Yanagi_!"_

_Miyame's shadow clones crossed the distance in blurry imagery and lurched in from three different directions, making it almost impossible for the man to evade attacks from all three fronts simultaneously, a signature of the Dance of the Crescent Moon move. Blocking the severe sword strikes with his own wind-infused blade, he cursed pugnaciously as metal drew blood. Miyame chose this moment to swoop in from mid-air as well, waving her sword back and forth with her Konoha Willow technique, forcing Danzo to retreat as all he could see was multiple waving arms and swords like a willow tree's branches blowing in the wind. With a dynamic wind burst, he managed to steer himself away from the two females who were trying to cut him down with their taijutsu and kenjutsu proficiency, slapping his left hand on the ground after drawing blood from his thumb and performing deft hand seals to activate his Summoning Technique._

_"_Kuchiyose no Jutsu! Baku_!"_

_Having comprehended the elder's intention, Miyame had dragged the persistent Yugito back, using her clones as sacrificial decoys since she knew the inevitable would happen within a few moments. True enough, the clone trio was almost immediately dispelled once Danzo's summon erupted into the scene; the gigantic elephantine chimera swiped the clones into oblivion with its tiger-like striped limbs, its shiny black claws fully visible even in the dim moonlight. Miyame felt the younger kunoichi's torso tense up, as she took in the paralysing sight of the bizarre creation, its armoured colossal trunk swinging and its heavy tusks protruding threateningly as its predominantly dark orange body lumbered its way forward. _

_"Yugito, listen to me," Miyame forced the astounded teen to face her. "You have to get out of here! Now!"_

_"I... I can't Miyame-_ni chan_," came the hesitant whisper, the fear evident in her voice. "I... I have to help you..."_

_"Help me by finding my husband, child. Please tell Matsuchi... please tell him to return to Iwagakure immediately... You're fast enough to catch up with him and tell him that. Please... do that for me, would you? I'm begging you, my friend."_

_"But... but... what about you? I can't leave you here... you will ..."_

_Miyame closed her eyes solemnly, knowing that the stammering girl's anxieties could easily be proven right within minutes. Nevertheless, she grabbed her young friend's shoulders firmly, beseeching with her deep brown eyes for her to obey her request, seeking understanding and reassurance from a younger individual whose acquaintance she had had the fortune to make during these harsh and tumultuous times. A single tear fell from the girl's right eye as she finally nodded with a heavy heart, and in less than five seconds she was already out of Miyame's vision._

_"_Kuchiyose no Jutsu! Fu Ka Tien_!"_

_Three red-crowned white cranes appeared in mid-air, each of them bristling with vitality and majesty as it flapped its wings into existence, circling above Miyame who was now crouching with her right hand on the ground, her ANBU tattoo glowing crimson red. Panting heavily, it was clear that this summoning technique was draining her chakra but the kunoichi knew that this could very well be her last stand with her dogged pursuer and she was not going down without a fight. Danzo's wind release techniques were far too advanced for her to rely solely on her _kenjutsu_ and _fuinjutsu_ techniques no matter how well-versed she was with them, especially with the addition of his summon. Dumbfounded that he had even called upon Baku, she realised how deep his desire was to erase her from existence, simply because he believed that she had divulged military secrets to her husband's village._

_"Get on me, Miyame, quickly," the crane named Tien was urging as she landed gently next to her summoner. "Baku looks like he's going to unleash something big."_

_"_Futon: Shinkuu Renpa_!"_

_The mythical chimeric creature stretched its mouth wide open and inhaled, creating a stupendous suction that was now sucking in everything within a large radius. Miyame had barely climbed atop the great bird's back before Tien already had to fight the vacuuming force that was now swallowing rock debris and bush clumps within its path, the exalted winged beast living to its name by soaring straight into the sky against the vacuum. With Danzo now expelling several blades of wind at different angles as he rapidly moved his head in various directions reminiscent of a deranged berserker, Baku exhaling the force through his trunk was amplifying the man's Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves jutsu, breaking rocks and boulders apart and razing through a substantial part of the forest where Yugito had just recently darted into._

_"_Katon: Goenka! Futon: Atsugai_!"_

_The second crane Ka was shooting three giant bullets of swirling flames from its mouth, with the third Fu releasing a tornado-like mass compressed until it was of a very high density, the wind pressure hiked to its highest limit. The Great Flame Flower technique was thus raining down on man and beast like giant meteors, with the Wind Release: Pressure Damage increasing their potency and range._

_"They've managed to dodge Fu and Ka's attack," the sharp-eyed bird whispered, its ethereal voice calm and soothing, unlike the raucous trumpeting that the chimeric summon was creating. "I believe Baku's going to exert an even greater suction power now."_

_"Get them out of here, Tien," Miyame replied, her senses dazed by the events that had escalated within the past hour, her untied hair buffeting in the blustery sky. "Danzo... he's too formidable for us to deal with. I... I will try to..."_

_"You can't do anything against his wind techniques, Miyame. We will try to hold him back until we have an open route to escape..."_

_"I can't just leave him to kill all those villagers, Tien. They've helped me so much and it's not right that they have to die for me, for no rhyme or reason other than the fact that a madman wants me dead."_

_It was at this point of time that the two smaller birds took yet another dive in unison, vocalising their own trumpeting calls as their red crowns glowed in preparation for their next assail. The terrifying giant, easily ten times the size of both birds combined, inhaled forcefully again, taking advantage of the fact that Ka had not shot out its flaming streams yet. Once the suction force took control of the birds, both had their wings unceremoniously broken in mid-flight, flailing helplessly as they both got sucked in together, plumage, feathers and all. _

_"Surrender, Miyame!" Danzo's gloat echoed through the warm night, even as the kunoichi hugged her remaining summon's trembling neck in unadulterated pain and remorse at causing Tien to lose two more of her children. "Stop playing around with me or I will unleash Baku upon that pathetic village! No one would know what hit them!"_

_"I won't let you harm anyone in that village you fiend！_Nekohibachi_!"_

_Her senses were fired up once again when she heard Yugito's voice; when she peered down she saw a figure spinning voraciously and forming a swirling cocoon of blue flames. Even before Tien whispered, "Matatabi... the Two-Tails...", the transformed _bakeneko_ was already attacking with a clamant roar, its right yellow eye and left green eye sparkling as it sent out dozens of fireballs which were flying towards the chimeric beast. With fire being a natural resistant for wind release, and with Matatabi's ferocious intensity in its attacks, Baku's suction force was rendered almost hopeless, and even Danzo had to beat a hasty retreat. By the time the feline giant followed up her Cat Fire Bowl technique with a huge spectral chakra-fireball that blasted its way straight into Baku's sprawling body, the man was nowhere to be found, his utterly defeated creature vanishing in a puff of smoke._

_"I felt... saw what he did to the forest and I couldn't let him... let him harm you... or the villagers," the young heroine sighed and shook her head. "They're all friends to me too... they don't treat me with disdain just because I'm a _Jin_... and... and well I wasn't sure if I should have transformed, but I'm glad I did. At least we've managed to chase him off."_

_"For now, child... he'll be back here creating trouble if I don't leave. And that is why I must bid farewell," Miyame replied, hugging the blonde teen as her tears flowed. "Thank you so much for your help, Yugito. My husband and I are forever in your debt."_

_The teary-eyed Kumo kunoichi sniffed as she continued staring into the forest even when the Konoha ANBU had rustled in for more than five minutes. She turned and trudged her way slowly back, knowing that when she returned to the village, she would have to tell the bad news to her younger brother, who had grown attached to the couple and their baby daughter as well over the past weeks - both siblings had been allowed a break from training in Kumogakure._

_"How am I going to tell him that we will never see Matsuchi-_san_ and Miyame-_ni chan_ again? Poor C... he will be so devastated."_


	113. Chapter 113

**Part 11: History and Her Story**

"That's... unbelievable. I... I can't believe she's... unharmed."

Her dewy eyes sparkling luminously in the brilliant rays that were boldly entering the vast space in their unheralded glory, the dark-skinned young woman could only nod slowly, the wheels in her head creaking up their gears once again as her framing bangs tickled her warm face in the light breeze. Hugging herself as it picked itself up and blew in from the broken window, fanning her hair light grey hair back, the kunoichi closed her eyes and heaved a deep sigh as she basked for a moment in nature's gifts.

"You actually sound disappointed that Tenten's safe, Miss Mabui."

Startled, the woman's eyes flashed open as she turned to her companion, about to defend herself until she caught sight of the twinkle in his blue-green eyes and the wide grin across his chiseled face. The man's long ponytail was being tossed back while the spikes on top of his blonde head were lovingly ruffled and tousled by the strong breeze. Still smiling as he closed his eyes, he now faced the vast horizon outside the building as well and breathed in deeply, his chest expanding and contracting rhythmically as he repeated the action a few times.

"Amazing, the view you have here... simply breathtaking. Totally befitting of the name Kumogakure indeed."

Yamanaka Inoichi felt his heart rate decelerate as he spent the next minute taking in the view in front of him, having just had the rare opportunity to really take in the opulent grandiosity of his surroundings despite his division setting camp here a few days back. Literally the Village Hidden by Clouds, the hidden village of the Land of Lightning, founded by the First Raikage, was located in a range of tall mountains and misty clouds. The large blue structure the two were in right now was built into the tallest mountain, the tallest tower of the village and emblazoned with the lightning _kanji_ right in front, a few glass panels away from the broken piece that both of them were currently standing at, admiring the momentous view of earthy mountains half shrouded by a cool misty fog.

"He almost broke another wall last night as he was leaving, just like this broken pane," Mabui breathed gossamerily, her voice thin and light as her lips curved upwards as well, enjoying the brief respite from the day's protracted and acutely intense chores, though she knew she had no right to complain when almost all the people she cared about were out there battling Yakushi Kabuto and Uchiha Madara's malevolent forces. "The Raikage... his temper is so explosive... always breaking his way through walls and windows with his brute strength and never using doors properly...all the time!"

Though the woman's words seemed chiding, they were laced with a hint of respect and benevolence despite their castigating tone. Inoichi could sense that the Raikage's personal assistant did actually hold him in esteemed regard, her bright green eyes shimmering with mild pride as she rambled about her boss's rapacious habits. The docile and gentlemanly Yamanaka clan head laughed politely at opportune moments, his prodigious mental capabilities given a chance to take a much needed break for these few precious moments. As he turned around, he noticed once again the mess on the Raikage's table, with books and documents strewn all over, evidence of Mabui's morning efforts of poring over historical records.

"I'd like to apologise for my friend's attitude earlier this morning, Miss Mabui. I guess Shikaku... well, he got... carried away when responding to you about the Bashosen. I know you only meant well... I mean we know your intentions... your concerns... are all very genuine and very clearly reasonable. Please don't take his words to heart."

Mabui's smile seemed to be permanently plastered on her face, as she reveled in the Jounin's genteel gallantry. She had to admit that she had been irrevocably riled up by the Nara man's brutal austerity and heartlessness, though her frustrations were not totally directed towards him, but more of her lack of concrete evidence with matters regarding the Bashosen and the rest of the Sage ninja tools. The unfurled scrolls and opened manuscripts had done nothing more than faze her even further, with myriad theories and controversial hypotheses providing no actual conclusion.

"You don't have to apologise, kind sir," the flushed secretary bowed in reverence, suddenly realising that this man's debonair did remind her a little of her beloved Darui. "I... I believe I did speak out of turn too, since Shikaku has been designated to be the commander in the Kages' absence and his strategies should be needed. And you caught me a little off guard just with what you were sharing, so... so that was why I responded so awkwardly."

Inoichi had received some telepathic reports from Kumo sensors and some Konoha ninja with regard to yet another rambunctious brawl with another highly volatile resurrected zombie, this time the widely reviled Konoha missing-nin who had almost plunged his home village into an international debacle with the other four countries. Mabui's eyes dilated and she could feel her heart pulsing fervidly in her ears as the renowned sensor shared his findings, emphasising a little on how the spunky wielder of the legendary elemental fan seemed to exert little chakra damage in this latest furore, despite her having to call upon highly charged lightning attacks together with General Darui.

"He's fine by the way, Miss Mabui," the older man mused, catching the sudden colouration of her smooth olive cheeks. "With everyone's help, Darui was kept safe from Hiruko, who was actually hunting him down for his Storm Release _Kekkei_ _Genkai_, something that he used to possess when he was alive. Sadly, a few sacrifices had to be made."

"S... sacrifices?"

Mabui actually had to take a seat as Inoichi recounted how a young girl from Kirigakure's military forces had to perform a suicide mission in order to bring the demoniac Edo down, an effort that also required the rest of the girl's team to pay the ultimate price.

"So... after all these... exertions," the kunoichi had had to take several moments to recollect her reeling senses before speaking again, "Tenten is actually unaffected?"

"Based on what your friend Mizuko said, yes. And Hiashi's _Byakugan_ was keeping track of her chakra the whole battle, since Shikaku had already informed Tsume to let him know of the possibility of chakra poisoning, based on what you had warned us about."

Nodding her head slowly while she kept her eyes on the clutter, Mabui started analysing one scroll, drawing her full lips tightly as she scanned through its contents quickly. Frowning testily, she muttered, "There's one unorthodox theory here... that if someone manages to survive initial chakra drain... that if he continues to be able to manipulate the fan's elemental properties to his whims, prolonged exposure... prolonged usage... may actually act as a chakra coil raiser."

"So this may be what's happening to Tenten, instead of adverse chakra poisoning?"

"This is just a theory of many, most of which are still stating potentially deadly effects," sighed the agitated lady, the displeasure flashing in her bewitching eyes. "The thing is, with so few modern interpretations and explanations since these ninja tools haven't surfaced for so long until yesterday, I'm wondering if all these ideas are outdated as well."

"I guess you may be right," Inoichi affirmed grimly. "Tsume said that Tenten almost collapsed this morning with the Bashosen still stored in her scroll, which rightly raised the adults' concern. Now they're saying she looks fine... it's all pretty mind-boggling. And C's vision isn't helping to clarify things either."

That was when Mabui raised her head starkly, gaping at the blonde man who actually stepped back a little at the unexpected reaction, the woman wearing a look of horrified disconcertion at this unprecedented revelation.

"C? Our Raikage's bodyguard C? What... what vision? Did something... did something happen to him ... again?"

Inoichi did not need to be an established sensor to feel the escalating tension within the female, noting that she had even risen abruptly from her seat and her knuckles were turning white from clutching the edge of the table so rigidly. Before he could reply, Mabui was already fretfully clicking her heels towards the door, bidding him to follow and give her the information quickly as they moved to the adjacent building which had been designated to serve the Shinobi Alliance as its headquarters. The concerned man strode along, trailing just slightly behind to analyse her physical reactions and at the same time, attempt to soothe her obviously frazzled nerves by emitting some telepathic waves using his extensive mind prowess, despite knowing that he should be conserving his energy as Shikaku had given him this short reprieve from his mammoth responsibility for that key purpose.

The more Inoichi divulged about what he had learnt about Darui's division's most recent escapade however, the more erratic Mabui's brain patterns became, evident even from her physiological responses - the sheen of perspiration appearing on her brow, her trembling lips, her clenched fists. By the time Inoichi was cautiously replicating C's prophetic vision of Tenten wielding the Bashosen in a greatly enervated state, which was still kept as a hushed secret from the Konoha kunoichi and her peers, Mabui was almost disconsolate, actually stumbling forward into the gargantuan room where Shikaku, Ao and the rest were still busy working.

"That... that's not the first time C's had a vision like this..."

With that portentously ominous sentence, the delicate female was led to a cushioned seat for her to regain her bearings but she bade Inoichi to continue. The two Konoha male Jounin exchanged a brief glance before the Yamanaka's placid tone shared the rest of what had been reported, noticing a significant rise in her adrenaline again as she listened attentively to C's out-of-body experience together with Inoichi's own daughter Ino, one orchestrated by one supposedly innocent Amegakure youth who had had his own body and existence cruelly ravaged for Kabuto's vile plans for Hiruko's revival.

"Yes, he's... fine now, I guess," the perturbed Nara strategist almost coughed when the woman turned her glistening orbs at him and asked about her fellow Kumo Jounin's condition. "Well, when I spoke to them with Inochi's help... Hiashi, Darui, Mizuko... they didn't mention anything... untoward about him. I mean Hiashi spoke about what happened to him when his mind was invaded, but by the time they reached Hiruko it was clear that he had already recovered by then, since he and Ino were instrumental in rallying the sensors and genjutsu experts to pull off such a stunt with Hiruko no less. Darui was the one who told me about his vision... apparently C told him in confidence but your boyfriend thought it'd be..."

Shikaku froze and stared at his friend in trepidation, while Inoichi shrugged his shoulders with an appalled frown at his old friend's blunder. Mabui looked at them with an incredulous look, wondering why the acting commander of the alliance had stopped so abruptly, until she realised what he had actually mouthed.

"You read my mind?" her eyes widened in clear consternation as the woman stood up quickly, colour rushing to cover her previously pallid cheeks.

"No, Miss Mabui... I swear I didn't," Inoichi had his hands up, while his right foot stamped on Shikaku's left foot hard. "Well... it was obvious because your... your thoughts always flow more effusively when there's any mention of General Darui... especially yesterday when his division was facing all that calamity. Besides, each time we connect with him via the _Kanchi Shisutemu Jutsu..._ the Sensing System technique... he does ask about you... you and you alone, Miss Mabui."

"Oh!"

That errant utterance was all the kunoichi could summon at that moment, her cheeks now burning with embarrassment as the two men beamed sheepishly. The dauntless Shikaku even went on after clearing his throat, gruffly stating that both Darui and her were a perfect match with his rugged handsomeness and her graceful beauty. Ignoring his friend's blatant jostling, he rambled on about how the two were already of marriageable age and should be thinking of settling down after the war, so that they could start a family and Mabui could quickly get pregnant and raise Darui's kids.

That was when he had to stop abruptly in mid-sentence for the second time within two minutes, because he found the woman glaring at him with furrowed brows, gritted teeth and tightly drawn lips, her ire clear for even Ao to burst into laughter at the other end of the room.

Patting his coughing friend's stiff back while shaking his head mildly, Inochi could not help but stretch his thin lips upwards. He cherished moments like these, when friends and acquaintances interacted easily and not only came together due to the need to handle massive issues. In a way, this war had helped bring together several nations together for the first time ever, and truth be told, even though it had only been a few days and most of the time the elevated tensions were overwhelming, he did genuinely enjoy making new comrades and acquaintances, who previously were mostly divided by invisible lines drawn by the daimyos of the five nations.

"So... Miss Mabui, before my friend here made the biggest error these two days here, what were you saying about C's past vision?"

The young kunoichi's eyes softened at once at the mention of her friend's name, lowering her head as she kept her eyes to the floor, her usually firm voice trembling as she spoke,

"The only other time C could see into the future was when he was much younger... perhaps seventeen to eighteen years ago... when he saw the death of his sister... the _Jinchuuriki_ of the Two-Tails Matatabi and one of my best friends in Kumogakure... Yugito Nii."


	114. Chapter 114

**Part 11: History and Her Story (4)**

_"_Kikaichu no Jutsu! Hijutsu: Mushidama!"

_Her ears pricked at the command and her cat-like instincts willed her to evade the looming insects which were being thrown out like projectiles and buzzing threateningly as they flew in clusters, homing in on her like moths to a flame. With her agile flips and dexterous leaps, the kunoichi was able to avoid each and every impending attack, snarling ferociously as she skidded to a stop after turning a back somersault and landing nimbly, one hand on the ground and the other raised with her extended claws gleaming in the sunlight._

_"I have no quarrel with you or your friend, Aburame!" Yugito Nii exclaimed boldly, keeping her eyes on the two young men who had blocked her path right in the middle of the tranquil woods. The tall and black-haired Aburame had glasses built into his mask that covered his facial features apart from a small area around his nose and mouth, heavily clothed like a typical member of the clan. Besides the red straps over the shoulder area of his jacket and the red sash around his waist, the rest of his ensemble was of an ash-black colour, from his short jacket with long sleeves and high collared top, to the apron over his pants and gloves. In contrast, the young man next to him donned a brownish red short kimono under a similar short-sleeved black jacket with the same black pants, his shoulder-length auburn hair tied back into a high ponytail with his long fringe framing the contours of his face._

_"What do you want from me?"_

_Even though her predators remained stoically muted, she did not really need an answer once she caught sight of the trademark red straps on both of their shoulders. Chuckling at this pathetic attempt to exact vengeance on the multiple times she had thwarted the plans of the surreptitious organisation they belonged to, the undaunted feline _Jinchuuriki_ put on a derisive sneer as she stood straight up and adopted an 'en garde' stance with her raised claws._

_"So Danzo has finally sent his most trusted and skilful lackeys, eh? Torune of the Aburame and Fu of the Yamanaka. Didn't your Hokage shut down Root long ago? Why, is that old Shimura geezer still kidnapping children and forcing them to do his bidding? Were you two victims of his sick perversions too?"_

_Throwing his name out right in the open like that roused a familiar and intense wrath within, as clouded memories of the past swam languorously within her mind. She had been the one who wanted to mock her pursuers and rile them into responding, yet she was now the one biting her lower lip and swallowing the lump in her throat, actions almost unnoticeable from the space between them but now triggered the second man's vocal chords to vibrate._

_"Aren't you the victim instead, Yugito Nii? I mean, after what happened to your brother all those years ago... can he still not remember who you are... who his own sister is? I... hear it was a horrible mind rape he went through, based on... rumours."_

_Her eyes blazed with undisguised ire as she unleashed a clamant roar before she charged at the two Root members with her portentous claws. Both men reacted with their blades and the shady vicinity was soon filled with clangorous, piercing sounds of metal and claw bidding for the upper hand, as the three figures flew back and forth in their unrelenting tussle._

_"Damn it... I don't have time for this... I have other matters to handle... to take care of right now..."_

_Yugito's mind was whirling as she cursed herself inwardly for falling into such a fraudulent trap, as she spun around in mid-air and parried Fu's tanto with a resounding clang, using his body as an anchor to swiftly turn a back flip and kick him hard in the neck, sending him reeling bloodily backwards. In the next second she was once again deftly slashing her way at his partner with vicious intent, making sure that she did not come into any physical contact with him in fear of his nano-sized venomous insects. The adrenaline was pumping in her veins as she mentally counted the short amount of time she had left for the day's task, and her senses were all fired up as she kept her eyes peeled for any sign of imminent peril that the duo could have set up around the area where she had been lured to._

_"There are... puppets... hidden all around the area... the Yamanaka... he plans to use his _Shinten Kugutsu Juin no Jutsu_ on me and activate his cursed seal if I happen to touch the puppet he's put his consciousness in... the sneaky bastard!"_

_Since going against Danzo Shimura and his Root faction had been her personal vendetta since she was a teen, Yugito had been diligent in collecting information on him and his subordinates, especially the ones who were highly ranked in the group. Thus, it was felicitous that she was immediately warned of Fu's Mind Puppet Switch Cursed Seal technique so that she would not have her own consciousness sealed within a ragged doll. Her astute mind and keen eyes had already sought out all twelve puppets in place and after sending Torune to the ground with a particularly hard shove using only her claws, Yugito launched herself sprightly right into the air before she vociferated a defiant cry,_

_"_Nezumi Kedama_!"_

_Ensuring that most of her flaming projectiles that exploded out of the lone mouse-shaped fiery ball of hair homed in on both Root members first, the blonde woman wasted little time in taking out each and every single puppet that Fu had prepared, resulting in a dozen different spots within the area erupting into crackling blue flames that were soon licking their way through the surrounding vegetation. Kept busy by the Mouse Hairball technique himself, the Root member could only watch as his set up were all laid waste to, the flames dancing in his large amber pupils. Despite the setback and the temperature of the wooded area shooting up due to the intensity of the flames, the Yamanaka man remained sharp enough to establish another tactic immediately, grabbing the chance that the woman was just landing from her airborne manoeuvre and that the area was now filled with trails of smoke and debris._

_"_Shintensen no Jutsu_!"_

_Yugito was only held in place by the Mind Disturbance technique for a mere three seconds before she broke free, but the fleeting moment was sufficient for Torune to shed his top and expose the bugs that were covering his whole torso and giving it a deep purplish hue. The kunoichi's pupils dilated in trepidation when she saw the ghastly form racing towards her and putting his ungloved hands together; though Konohagakure's Aburame clan's sinister techniques of using insects was well known, particularly their Parasitic Destruction Insect technique, it was her attacker's unorthodox use of rare Nano-sized, Venomous Insects that was causing her heart to skip a beat once she freed herself from Fu's mental grasp._

_"_Nanosaizu no Dokumushi! Dokujin no Jutsu_!"_

_By the time the Aburame was a mere ten metres away, he had formed a small black smokescreen sphere made up of those insects, which he now blew; the Poison Cloud technique spread itself expeditiously over the area as the smokescreen grew more stupendous, causing Yugito to leap backwards while shooting out larger fireballs from her mouth, this time in the form of rats immersed by more swathing blue flames. Each of these fiery rats propelled themselves at the persistently moving cloud, burning itself out and the insects it came in contact with; the woman's _Kaso Rairai_ Fire Rats Cometh was duly potent enough to eradicate any form of poisonous contact or inhalation._

_"_Kikaichu! Sanagi_!"_

_It was at this moment, just as she thought she might have triumphed, that she realised while she was retreating further into the forest, that the bark on numerous trees was teeming with uncountable small, beetle-like bugs. Though these were not as deadly as the venomous bugs on Torune's body, they were still capable of draining one's chakra reserves. As they swarmed around the astonished woman once Torune commanded them to form the Parasitic Destruction Insects: Pupa formation and formed a small tornado around her, Yugito could sense that the Aburame was going to enter it soon and come into physical contact with her._

_"_Katon: Hibashiri_!"_

_Within a split second, the kunoichi had formed a ring of blue fire around her with her Fire Release: Running Fire technique, and as she raised her arms forcefully into the air the delicate circle immediately shot it upwards into a massive fiery column. As she spun herself around in the epicentre, the column spread itself outwards speedily and formed a blazing inferno together with the buzzing cocoon of parasitic insects._

_"I don't want to burn the woods down but I have no choice... time is really not on my side today... these accursed idiots! You'll pay for this Danzo, I swear!"_

_With a final bout of frenzied rotations, Yugito gave a guttural holler as she pushed her arms outwards, commanding the column of fire to expand its perimeter as it razed the surrounding trees, spreading the greedy flames out extensively. The clandestine pair had to beat a hasty retreat as the blustery blue flames roared their way towards them, both men exchanging a curt nod before they took to their heels, with Fu even claiming, "Mission success. They're nearby, I can sense them. I'll leave more clues for them to pick up her trail faster."_

_"They knew... their purpose... was to stall me... in the hope of wearing me out as well."_

_The agitated woman cursed inwardly as she ran, making her way towards her intended destination. While this unexpected delay might not have totally ruined her plans, it could indeed be a determining factor of her success later. Her eyes burned with blind hatred towards Danzo Shimura as she leapt from one bough to the next, angry tears flowing as explicit rage emanated from her core. Those tears were for the past seventeen years of pain and misery, which began on the very night she had transformed into Matatabi for the first time in the middle of her first and only meeting with the man who had plunged her life into undeniable despair since._

_When she returned to the village after bidding a tearful farewell to the Konoha ANBU who had taken refuge there, Yugito had found her brother missing. The two days that followed were filled with agonised fruitless searches, until he appeared out of nowhere in a dazed stupor. Once he laid eyes on Yugito, he could only point a feeble finger at her before he passed out, with a soft whisper, "You are going to die."_

_The Third Raikage had the best Kumo medics and sensors make sense of the boy's five-week coma, but it was only when C finally awoke from his deep sleep that the jigsaw pieces could be tentatively affixed. While the boy could not recall who had taken him, Dodai and his team managed to form some possible scenarios, almost all which involved the young blonde having his mind invaded in order for information to be forcefully extracted. Since he had already been training to be a sensor from the time he was two, the valiant boy had apparently fought off those psychic attacks well, but with one final telepathic burst which might have knocked out his kidnappers and allowed him to escape, he had practically erased his own memories in order to protect whatever secrets he had wanted to keep._

_"I wonder what could have made him fight his way to the end," Dodai had sighed as he peered at the utterly petrified fourteen year-old teen girl through his visible right eye, his left covered by a black eye patch. "What... or who could have he been protecting, Yugito? Who did you meet at the village? There are ... rumours that the Two-Tails was actually spotted, child. That can't be true, can it?"_

_Her tears had fallen as she shook her head, knowing fully well that C had wanted to protect Miyame's secret of having given birth to a child in that village at Kumogakure's outskirts, to prevent Danzo from hunting her down. As if it was not tormenting enough that her brother, her only kin left in the world, might not remember her anymore due to that malignant mind assault, what chilled her to the bone even more was the sensors' report on the only thing C could recall from his ordeal, something that they believed was a prophetic vision that had brought him many years into the future, since the Yugito he described was a fully grown woman._

_The vision had been of her being slain by figures wearing long, dark cloaks with distinctive red clouds._

_The adults had of course wanted the respected and heralded female Jinchuuriki to stay in Kumogakure as much as possible and not go gallivanting elsewhere but Yugito had snuck out numerous times and gotten herself into countless clashes with Danzo's operations, often thwarting his outrageous plans and ensuring that his Root members suffered as much as her brother had under his villainous clutches. She had made him her mortal enemy, and with the many spies she had befriended, in particular Nekobaa, the cat granny who ran a supplies store in an abandoned city near Konoha, had been able to gather much information over the years, to aid her in her vengeful missions._

_"I wish you would stop this. I really don't remember you and you are making me very uncomfortable, like you always do when you appear in front of me."_

_Since C's twelfth birthday, when she had prepared his favourite dishes as a child and brought them to Dodai's home, she had not had any conversation with him until that very morning. Her heart felt as if it was being stabbed every time she remembered those cold and monotonously uttered words, the pain never dwindling as he celebrated more birthdays with his new family and friends. Mabui had been the one feeding her with information of her brother over the years, and it was only on this very day, as soon as dawn broke and hours before her fight with Torune and Fu, that she had knocked on his door and roused him from his slumber. The flabbergasted male had shot her a bleary look of surprise, but with much less irritation than all those years before, as he waited expectantly for her to speak._

_The only words she could muster, though, before she nervously passed him the blue beaded bracelet he had made for her fourteenth birthday together with Miyame all those years ago, were, "Happy birthday, C. Have a good day with your friends."_

_Her heart gave a painful lurch at the memory, but she stemmed her tears as she entered the sewers. Her left hand felt lighter that day without the beads, and her mind was transported to the day she discovered the headless corpses of her Konoha friends at the outskirts of yet another secluded town. It had taken her more than nine years to locate Miyame and Matsuchi, but she had been one step too late. That traumatic discovery of being able to witness the crimson blood still oozing from the poor woman's neck had rattled her core so badly that she had gone on a rampage the following weeks, aiming to hunt down as many Root members as she could, leading her to even make the most unforgivable error of morphing into Matatabi one sultry night and accidentally taking out a group of innocent Iwagakure kunoichi together with the Konoha ninja she had been stalking. She had then broken down in unquenchable remorse in front of the graves where she had buried her long lost friends, begging them to forgive her for being a few minutes too late in rescuing them from Danzo's hands._

_It was at this moment of sorrowful reverie that she felt an excruciating pain at her abdomen, causing her to double over and regurgitate her stomach's contents._

_"Torune... Torune's bugs... they... they must have... got to me somehow... in the middle of the chaos just now..."_

_Her senses, as keen as ever despite the internal agony that she was struggling to endure, were detecting the presence of two others elsewhere in the dank and gloomy sewers, and she knew that this would be the ultimate showdown. Ever since the tales of how the Akatsuki group was hunting down the _Jinchuuriki_, and had even succeeded in extracting the One Tail Shukaku from the youthful yet fearsome Kazekage of Sunagakure, her friends and peers had been urging her to be more cautious and less outrageous with all the out-of-village adventures she was always so fond of taking. The shrewd and indomitable kunoichi had made a silent vow to fight this dark and dangerous organisation to the very end, and despite Mabui's endless pleas and warnings about the haunting vision, had gone on to seek more information about their whereabouts as well._

_"It's time to lure them in further," she sputtered to no one in particular, feeling the poison creeping through her bloodstream as she clutched her burning abdomen area. "It seems like C's vision... might come true after all... on his birthday no less..."_

_Shaking her head as if in a fitful trance, Yugito Nii felt her limbs trembling as she turned to run, hearing the approaching footsteps behind her pick up their pace as well. Bolting through endless stretches while grabbing her stomach, her mind exploded in a series of colours as her frazzled nerves tingled resonantly throughout her enervated body. She managed a wry smile as she imagined how Danzo would react to this glorious victory, knowing that it would effectively bring their endless feud to a permanent hiatus, and wished that she had had the courage to tell her brother that she would always love him, no matter where she was._

_With that thought, the kunoichi came to an abrupt stop and shakily turned to face her Akatsuki predators, unsheathing her claws as a silent tear rolled down her cheek._

_It was a few days after his birthday that the young blonde sensor remembered the trinket that Yugito Nii had presented him, but when he went to the mantelpiece to retrieve it, he saw that the chain had broken and the lustrous blue beads were lying loosely around. Absentmindedly, C picked a few of them up and stared at them quietly, before he discovered a minute later, that warm tears were streaming down his face._


	115. Chapter 115

**Part 11: History and Her Story (5)**

The sun's relentless rays were beating down on all three figures involved in the current stand-off out right in the middle of the sprawling desert, spreading themselves far and wide across the stupendous area with their sovereign regality. Up in the clear blue sky, a kettle of gurgling vultures were circling around lazily, their extended squawks mournful and ominous, their disturbing presence indicative of the possibility of incapacitated or dead bodies available for their scavenging needs. Each of the hovering winged beasts was taking its turn to echo its preceding comrade's gravelly glottal cry, and together, the dozen creatures just seemed to be keeping close by because they knew that their gluttony for fresh meat would be satiated soon.

Despite the infernal heat and the menacing vultures, the two cowering soldiers from the Shinobi Alliance Army paid hardly any attention to them, as it was the being looming fifty metres from them that had arrested their attention fully. The hulking figure stared silently at the duo, smirking at the outright panic and distress that he had caused simply by flicking a few of his most basic tools at his disposal, hitting the one with a turbaned head and strange green markings on his chastened face. The second bearded man from the being's home village, was now vividly describing his rare, unprecedented _Jiton_ skill set and abilities, sending his jittery companion into yet another bout of frenzied paroxysms.

_Jiton no_ Toroi, of the Magnet Release, felt a caustic rush of euphoria in his frozen veins, a feeling that was arrantly missing the night before. As he raised the cumbersome shuriken in his left hand, all the while keeping his grey sclera on the rabbity men he had trailed, he attached his smaller scroll to his gaping mouth, letting it unfurl down to his cleft chin. Even from the distance, the soldiers could be seen cowering, more petrified than ever before of his impending magnetically-enhanced square blades. While that display of utter terror had initially satisfied the perverse zombie's thirst for acknowledgement and recognition, as the dry wind rustled through his tousled dull purple hair, his mind was again stormed by the stark memories of getting totally outplayed and humiliated by the two young kunoichi the previous night, especially the one who was unsealing ninja tools with elemental proprieties that were jarringly discordant with his _Jiton Kekkei Genkai. _

The fact that he had had to be abruptly rescued by his summoner before getting demeaningly sealed was explicitly humiliating, and though he had now been released again to create havoc in another region, the rocky and barren terrain of the southern edge of the Land of Lightning, his thoughts were helplessly invaded by the audacious teenager and what she had put him through since his resurrection. He had not been able to quell a single bit of the embarrassment he felt, despite already taking out several stray shinobi like the men earlier in the morning - each time his shuriken reduced his victims to nothing but ripped flesh and bones for delighted buzzards, the image of the girl's face seemed to intensify itself, goading his irrational need for vengeance. As he prepared to launch his tools in the next moment, he made an asseverate oath that he would set things straight with Konohagakure's Tenten, once he could find the opportunity to sneak away from his assigned post and designation.

The very last thing he could remember after making that solemn vow though, was a glowing yellow streak that appeared from out of nowhere above him and shot right at his resurrected form with a ball of iridescent blue energy that split his entire being into innumerable bits.

"_Futon: Kakeami_!"

An almost invisible wide net was formed by multiple narrow currents of wind, sharp and powerful enough to have earlier inflicted shallow wounds into the extremely durable and inured body of the reincarnated Third Raikage of Kumogakure. This time the Wind Release: Cast Net technique conjured by the user's _Kyodai Sensu_, cut through two resurrected identical looking zombies, slicing its way through their motionless bodies.

"Damn it... as expected... those were just insect clones of that revived Torune."

Lowering her Giant Folding Fan as the innumerable diversionary Kikaichu bugs scatter away into the wind, Temari of the Sand Siblings leapt forward lithely, her teal eyes scanning the horizon quickly for signs of her target as perspiration trickled freely down her nape. She had remembered the lackey of the late Shimura Danzo from the recent Five Kage Summit held back at the Land of Iron, his masked face and black ensemble hiding his malefic and destructive insects, and never really expected to discover that he had actually been killed and now reanimated by the treacherous Yakushi Kabuto to be used as a manipulated weapon against the Allied Shinobi Forces. Swallowing slightly, her parched throat yearning for a cool drink, she took quick glances across the vicinity, noting gratefully that for the moment, things still seemed under control.

Still disoriented from how they had almost lost some of the _Edo Tensei_ bodies they had managed to seal after tricky battles and huge losses, the blonde who wore her hair in an extraordinarily spiky hairdo with four ponytails gave swift commands for tighter security and increased vigilance, barking orders for two dozen more shinobi versed in barrier ninjutsu be deployed for these purposes. After such a long-drawn upheaval of a battle with the Third Raikage zombie, Temari shuddered just at the thought of having him unsealed and raising calamities all across the desolate grounds the remaining Division Four troops were currently occupying.

Her thoughts lingered slightly at the this juncture as she turned her head back towards the direction where Shikamaru Nara had led a significant amount of the division's soldiers, to provide necessary aid to alleviate the drastic situations plaguing Division One the day before, at the onset of the war. While battles had occurred for the other two divisions as well, the threats that General Darui and his soldiers faced were imminently viperous enough to have Shikaku back at headquarters to re-assign the troops in such an exigent manner. As she brushed up the strands matted to her forehead, she could not help but feel a flicker of anxiety for her Konoha comrade, one who was supposed to be the proxy leader of this division since her own brother, the Kazekage Gaara, was the young regimental General of the entire army.

That role seemed to have fallen to her since Shikamaru and his roly-poly Akimichi buddy took off with a few squads, and though Kumogakure's experienced advisor Dodai had been essentially helpful in assisting her, currently Gaara, the Tsuchikage Onoki, and Uzumaki Naruto's shadow clone's heated battle against the reincarnated Second Tsuchikage a few miles away was in need of his dire attention. The usually assured and blunt kunoichi had to admit that the past day's experiences had indeed been downright humbling, as her eyes were opened to the greatness of past legends and the incredible powers they possessed.

"Damn that Shikamaru... leaving me here to handle his responsibilities..."

Though her brows met for a split second, Temari knew that it was not time for childish resentment - based on information she had received from the division's sensors who were communicating with headquarters, Division One had faced legions of motley White Zetsus and many terrifyingly heathen Edo Tensei foes. Based on intel, the western coasts had been thrown into total chaos with catastrophic consequences, with infinite cataclysmic upheavals unleashed by the legendary Kin-Gin Kumo duo and later the atrocious elemental masks of the Akatsuki Kakuzu. What had sparked her interest was the report on how those menacing demons were reported to have been mostly quelled by a Konoha kunoichi who had stumbled upon the sacred Bashosen and managed to wield it successfully against them.

"Ehhhhh? That ... that same... Tenten... whom our wind goddess so easily defeated a few years ago at the Chunin exams? She... she actually... accomplished such feats?"

The ever gushing and reverent Yukata and Matsuri, who had tagged along with her as Temari waited impatiently for the sensors to provide more information about her Nara friend, had expressed extreme astonishment and disbelief in their usual high-pitched squeals. The blonde had said nothing as the girls continued bugging the exhausted and exasperated sensors for more clarification, donning only a wry smirk until she learnt how Team Guy's kunoichi had actually almost perished due to getting her chakra drained while using a sacred ninja tool that had appeared after many years in the middle of a vast and tumultuous battlefield. Shushing the pair of overly excitable girls whose daily habit of blathering over Gaara seemed to have been cascaded from back home to even the warfront, the wind manipulator felt an unexpected sense of relief and pride when she heard the sensor state monotonously that Tenten, Shikamaru's team and several others had just returned to their base camp after handling yet another perilous _Edo Tensei_ opponent, one could have easily altered the outcome of the entire war if he had not been stopped.

Yukata and Matsuri had automatically assumed that they had been so curtly silenced because their idol's sister wanted to gather more news about the Nara male prodigy, and had broken into giggling fits once she appeared more relaxed. Though it was of course true that she was relieved that Shikamaru and his Team 10 comrades were unharmed, at that point of time, she was uncharacteristically feeling more abated that her weapon-wielding former opponent, one she had thrashed soundly within minutes, was still alive and breathing. Tenten must have truly grown, to exhibit such abilities, resolution and valour within the very first day of the war.

"Temari-_chan_! Over here!"

Scooting over quickly to the edge of the periphery where the ebony-haired Yukakta was tending to Matsuri, the blonde bent down to a squat, startled to see the younger kunoichi's ghastly pale face and shivering form in her friend's embrace. The first girl whispered softly that they had been separated for only five minutes, but once she had returned, she found her brown-haired bosom buddy sprawled on the arid ground, as if caught within a spellbinding trance. Temari was just about to call for a medic, but before she could leave, Matsuri raised her hand and grabbed at her flak jacket feebly.

"I saw... them... trying to ... scout... for the sealed Raikage..." the girl breathed, her earlier effervescent nature replaced entirely by consummate fear, her face still draining of the little colour she had. "I saw... the ones who kidnapped me... a few years ago... sneaking away... the _Shitenshounin_... the Four Celestial Symbol men..."

He awoke with a start, his boggled mind swimming with myriad images that seemed to have sharpened themselves so greatly that they were carving themselves into the frontal lobes of his brain and refusing to get disentangled from their tenacious hold. As they continued to conceptualise, their vividness and clarity somehow directly associated with the surge of bile within his oesophagus, C realised that his mind was dismantling links and at the same time, creating them at a breakneck pace, causing him to finally fail to suppress the urge to heave and hurl any longer.

"Sis... sister..."

Having been brought straight to the medical tents of Division One once Darui's heterodox squad returned to the compound, the blonde man had been given a mild sedative that would soothe his ragged nerves and body; though he had appeared to be much more rejuvenated since his extraneous encounter in Mubi's limbo-like domain, it was still incontrovertible that the past hours' crucible had inevitably taken a toll on his mind and body. It seemed that C's calvary had not ended though, as long buried memories, forced by his valorous and fearless younger self to seek refuge deep within the hidden capacities of his brain all those years ago, were all abruptly extravasating from those fathomless recesses at one overwhelming shot.

"Sister!"

This time when he repeated the word, it was a long, unrestrained wail as he fell from the makeshift bed onto the unblemished earth, writhing in such wanton agony that the lone observer of this heart-rending scene had to swallow the obtrusive lump in his throat. Darui could only watch on forlornly as his friend railed and shrieked, lost in his aberrational convulsions as his anguished mind unshackled the refractory, pertinacious chains that had once even managed to overcome one Danzo Shimura's merciless irruptions with their unyielding recalcitrance. It was only when C's calescent body was overwhelmed by a bout of incessant coughing as he choked on his own phlegm and spittle that the white-haired man wrapped his muscly arms over his friend's racking form, tenderly wiping the tears, snot and spit from his reddened face with his own bare hand.

"I... I remember... I remember, Darui... I remember everything now... I remember..."

It seemed like an intermittently long time before C's sobs ceased enough for him to finally verbalise his thoughts, his dazed and crumpled form leaning against his partner's rugged body, tears still trickling from his puffy eyes. Darui let him drone on feebly, his typical brusque baritone reduced to meek squeaks in his tormented state. Mabui, through Inoichi, had spoken telepathically to her aghast lover before he reached the encampment, warning him to keep a close watch on C since his mind seemed to have undergone an intrusive invasion just like all those years ago and there was no telling what his sudden ability to foretell the future again could mean. Darui had only known C when the young child had been placed in Dodai's charge after his traumatic ordeal and resumed his training with new friends like Mizuko and other sensors. The dark-skinned general was just as taken aback at the revelation that the blonde young man was actually the brother of the deceased Jinchuuriki, Yugito Nii, seeing that he was now clutching feverishly to a blue-beaded bracelet to his chest, as if he was holding it close to his heart.

"I... I remember... who I made this with..."

It was at this point that the wallowing man raised his slumped form up slightly, Darui still supporting the bulk of his body weight. While the haze in his estranged thoughts persisted, the drastic accumulated impact of having so many life-altering memories restored at once, C was now staring hard at the shiny bauble loosely grasped in his trembling hand, his pectorals heaving again as more images implanted themselves in his brain. He finally sat himself upright after gaping at the bracelet for more than a few moments and turned his flushed face around, giving his solicitous friend a look of outright astonishment, his mouth open in disbelief as he breathily muttered,

"I think... I think I know whose Miyame Gekkou's child is."

The warm sea breeze fanned itself against her face, prompting her to shut her eyelids as she indulged in a temporary respite from the absurd, derisory battles that she had been thrown into ever since the war's horns were blown. Hugging her knees closer to her body, feeling the built up lactic acid in her muscles dissipate, the kunoichi breathed in deeply as she lulled in the gentle plashes of the welcoming low tide. Though her fellow Konoha peers, together with Kitsuchi, Mizuko and Bekkou, had taken their original spots inner land near Chouza and the _Shishienjin_, the Four Violet Flames Formation that was holding the resurrected form of Konoha's Dan Kato prisoner, Tenten had chosen to carve a circle much closer to the coastal areas a short distance away, together with some of the comrades that she had become tightly intertwined with in the past hours.

She could still feel the Konoha adults' eyes on her of course, even as her back was facing them, but she did not want to let their scrutiny and whispers bother her for now. Hotaru and the Magaki men's deaths were still weighing heavily on her mind, especially since she was the one who had waved the sacred fan and sent the remaining trio into the atmosphere. Though the teen understood their roles as sacrificial lambs had seemed maliciously necessary, her mind was convoluted with numerous thoughts, almost all of them querying what made her so special, so unique, that she seemed to keep getting spared from death's spindly, grisly clutches despite her audacious acts throughout the past day.

"Their deaths were not your fault. You know that, right?"

Her Iwa friend's voice might have lost some of its energy and fervour, but she still spoke with some resolution, her ardour remaining as strong as ever despite her near-fatal encounter with Hiruko. Understanding that she had thrown her flustered father totally off balance with her impetuousness, Kurotsuchi had kept to her own thoughts for the past minutes as well, the flagrant memory of the heated argument she had had with him days before bringing an unfamiliar, recondite sense of shame within the symbol of rebellion.

Tenten turned and studied the side profile of the spunky female, noticing that she was also adopting a similar seated position within her own circle and eyeing the calm waves with a distant look. She now faced the younger friend with a sigh, her usually sparkling pink eyes now seemingly lifeless and devoid of her usual passion. The cheerless smile she wore was definitely a lacklustre attempt to rouse her friend, but both of them understood that they were dealing with their own demons within their turbulent thoughts.

"I swear, if I catch that Hiashi old man or any of your Konoha comrades staring at our backs one more time, I'm going to send a rock to his or her face!"

Emitting a chortle first before she placed both hands over her mouth as she stole a quick peek at the flummoxed and embarrassed older shinobi, Tenten felt some adrenaline pump within her languid vessels, her eyes widening in bafflement at the older kunoichi's churlish words. Having felt that Kurotsuchi's supposed initial doubts towards the Hyuuga clan head had long already been quelled, it was indeed surprising to find her utter such obnoxious proclamations. Though she had only less than a full day's interaction with her, the teen knew that she would trust her Iwa peer with her life, just as easily as she would with her teammates and Konoha peers.

"A penny for your thoughts too?" Tenten asked tentatively, unsure if she would trigger another outburst if she said the wrong thing. "Worried about Mubi and Yabuza back at the medical compound?"

"No, I know they're in good hands," the black-haired woman pursed her lips as she raised and shook her head. "I'm just... agitated. A few days ago, I ... I had a fight with my father about fighting in the war... on the battlefront."

Listening attentively as Kurotsuchi shared her frustrations bluntly, the teen felt a familiar tingle of regret and longing; when she was much younger, Tenten would sometimes be swallowed by waves of envy and malignity in the academy as her mates shared stories of their families and loved ones. Though she was much older now and she had found her own family in her team and peers, the recent invasion of her mind the night before had indeed made her more vulnerable once again. Learning that her parents had actually abandoned her outside the village was a very raw source of pain at the moment and in spite of the fact that she was endeavouring to appear as supportive as possible, after a while, it was getting increasingly tougher to endure the one-sided conversation.

"At least... at least you have a father... a father who cares for you. I ... I don't have a father... nor a mother... back at Konoha. I am... an unwanted orphan."

The confession came out of the blue and as she blurted it out, she realised that her earlier insecurities from the previous night and early morning were slowly resurfacing, the Akiya imposter's abhorrent assault and depraved words lodging themselves within her consciousness once again. Kurotsuchi looked at her blankly, clearly flabbergasted by her friend's almost inaudible mumbling right in the middle of her venting session. The Konoha girl was braving a smile as she raised her head, announcing that what she had been told as a child had been irrevocably erased the night before and that she had yet to come to terms with the distressing truth.

"My parents... they didn't want me. They... left me... in front of Konohagakure," her voice quivered slightly as she reached into her flak jacket, the wind blowing the loose brown strands of her fringe as it surged more aggressively from the vast waters. "I have been living a lie all these years thinking otherwise... and I don't even know why I am still... still keeping this."

Tenten glanced at the aged photograph she had removed from the confinements of her jacket for a few seconds, before she loosened her fingers and let the breeze take control of its trajectory. As Fate would have it, it was blown straight into Kurotsuchi's direction, allowing the Iwagakure kunoichi to grab it unconsciously before it could flit off anywhere else.

It was at this particular moment, just as Tenten watched her friend's eyes widen in unmitigated consternation as she stared at the picture, the colour draining from her cheeks, that her Kumogakure comrades landed right outside her designated circle, the blonde man wearing a harried look of urgency even before he laid eyes on her. And it was a split second later that both Kurotsuchi and C cried out inadvertently, almost in unison,

"I know who your parents were, Tenten!"


	116. Chapter 116

**Part 11: History and Her Story (6)**

Yamanaka Ino could not help but fix her gaze at the sight of the retreating brawny man clad in Iwagakure attire, his broad back disappearing fleetingly as he made his way towards the beaches located at the periphery of the Division One compound. Even without her sharp senses, she would still have picked up General Darui's perplexed comportment as he returned to his rightful position. It had taken the obviously nonplussed man a full three minutes upon his return to hesitantly pass a message to his fellow captain Kitsuchi, and from her position, the young blonde witnessed him hemming and hawing as he did so, before the bewildered Iwa man finally took off, scratching his head slightly as he did.

"He's moving towards the waters, where his daughter is... together with Tenten."

Ino had felt slightly chastised a little earlier when her bosom buddy had chosen to make her way to the beaches together with her new Iwa friend, Hiashi and the rest. Though it was true that there was definitely more space there for the new arrivals to follow Shikamaru's plan and carve out their personal solitary rings - the amount of dissident whispers could already be noticed to be increasing, of how the leaders and strategists seemed to be frequently breaking their own rule throughout the past few hours - the fact that Tenten had not even attempted to stay closer to her was something a little difficult to digest at the moment.

"Let her be for now, Ino," Shikamaru drawled as he stifled a yawn, his eyes still actively searching for signs of White Zetsu imposter disturbances. "We... well, we don't know what she's really been through. Maybe she just needs some space."

Nodding absentmindedly as her blue eyes continued straining across the horizon, the kunoichi admonished the Nara youth half-heartedly for being able to read her like a book, while also mentioning that something else was up with the two generals.

"Besides, we should be thinking of what else we should do instead of keeping to our circles, Shikamaru. Everyone's getting a bit edgy, even if our sensors are doing their part in helping to establish our identities," added Chouji as he studied the disquieting chagrin etched on the vexed faces of the soldiers.

"We should wait for Naruto first, before we..."

"Chouji's right, Shikamaru. The fact that we could just ... leave and come back to our circles, to handle Hiruko just now... and now General Kitsuchu can just go to his daughter like that... it's definitely raising the tension among the troops. Perhaps we can..."

Before she could finish her next sentence however, the Yamanaka sensor had her attention fully arrested by the abrupt appearance of a yellow streak that landed itself right before the purple barrier, and it only took her two seconds to recollect her thoughts and squeal her friend's name in unequivocal delight,

"Naruto!"

"Ten... Tenten... are you... are you all right?"

The silence that had perpetuated in her mind for the past minutes was finally pierced through, with the appearance of Iwagakure's Tsuchikage's direct descendent, the tanned and brawny man wearing such a dumbfounded, quizzical expression that it seemed to rouse her consciousness from its current slumber and snap her out of her stupor. Her palpitating heart was slamming hard against her ribcage as the Division Two General received the photograph from his daughter, and when the stark look of recognition flashed across his face, Tenten knew for certain that the bizarre, heated expositions from her two desperately excitable comrades were indeed true.

"You... you knew. You knew, didn't you?"

Instead of addressing the trio right in front of her, the Konoha teen was now pointing an accusatory, trembling finger at the tall, aghast man clad in black standing a few metres away; the fact that his stern disposition had changed drastically ever since Kurotsuchi and C had so expeditiously blurted out the far-fetched, outlandish information about her parentage had not been missed by the shrewd, sharp-eyed kunoichi despite the near trance-like state that the stupefying news had rendered her into.

"I said, you knew didn't you? The way you are reacting right now tells me that! You've known all along... what... what they're... what they are saying... you knew!"

The man in question hardly blinked as the girl rushed at him and delivered a resounding slap across his ashen face, the contact stinging his left cheek that must have taken a sickly sallow colour since the rude, abrupt awakening. He could only lock eyes with the agitated teen, studying the immense hurt and nihilism in her stricken brown orbs as he exhaled in reaction to the blow, as if he had held his breath all this while, as if the ache in his chest had finally pushed him beyond his limits. The pain in Tenten's eyes was almost impossible to bear and the Tokubetsu Jounin averted his gaze, before receiving a second hit on the same cheek.

"Look at me! Don't you dare look away! Don't you dare look away Ibiki Morino!"

The girl felt her palm smarting as it connected one more time with her victim's face, her entire being quavering as it did. Memories of all the frequent visits Konoha's most highly regarded interrogator had paid the orphanage during her early years were popping up wildly, vividly in her dolourous mind, moments of the man's rarely displayed tender and sensitive side now doing nothing but making her want to rail at him with more punches and kicks. The agonising image planted by the Akiya Zetsu clone the night before replayed in her mind over and over again, of a black-haired man with a bulbous nose and a woman wearing her deep brown hair in Chinese-styled hair buns leaving a wailing baby in front of Konohagakure's gates. Tenten felt an overbearing surge of rage implode from within as she unleashed her fury with her vocal chords, ignoring the startled and mystified looks of the surrounding shinobi, including her flabbergasted comrades who were mostly standing close by, ever ready to provide aid if necessary but currently at a loss as well.

"All these years, you've pretended not to know... never even acknowledged my presence... and you knew!" her voice was almost hoarse as she threw a wanton shriek at the tormented man, her legs finally giving way as she fell hard on her kneecaps. "You could ... you could have at least told me who my parents were... you could have told me the truth! Why? Why, Ibiki? Why didn't you just tell me the truth?"

Kurosutchi was now kneeling beside her newfound cousin, her own mind warped with countless confounding thoughts made worse by the tempestuous atmosphere that had enveloped the area. As she reached for the inflamed teen's shoulders, strangely in a tentative manner, she felt a weird sensation flood through her body as her brain registered the acknowledgement that this younger kunoichi, one whom she had been fighting so fiercely with for the past day, was actually family. She glanced at her own father, who had been gripped so resolutely by the outrageous revelation that he not moved nary an inch from his spot in spite of the riotous upheaval. As her eyes met his, she felt a tug at her heart strings as she watched his usually staunch and composed face crease as he blinked repeatedly, unable to grasp the situation without having a hundred questions in his head.

"You need to calm down, Tenten," Kurenai spoke as she stepped forward with both Hiashi and Tsume, the latter two looking flustered and confused as well. "Now's not the time to be throwing blame around. I'm sure Ibiki has a very logical explanation for not telling you that Miyame Gekkou was your mother, and..."

"Miyame... Gekkou?" Tsume frowned, her canine eyes drawn into slits. "The missing-nin whom you were so in love with, Ibiki? The sister of your very own friend and teammate... Hayate?"

Tenten sank further back into the Iwa woman's arms as the new piece of information blasted through her cranium yet again. She stifled a gasp as she raised a shivering hand to her lips, struck speechless by the flagrant memory of her battling the resurrected form of Hayate Gekkou back at the Tonika Village, where Kabuto Yakushi had raised havoc with his _Edo Tensei_ summons weeks ago. Sakura and Yuugao's lilting voices were also playing in her head, her recent adventures with them earlier in the day having brought forth the discussions about him and his ill-fated love with the estranged female ANBU.

"Did... did he know? Did Hayate know about... about Tenten? About his... his niece?"

The outrightly defeated man answered the Inuzuka woman's query with a weak shake of his head, unable to lift his eyes any longer. That alone triggered yet another bout of raining blows as the aggravated girl leapt straight at him with a ferocious snarl, raving madly at how Ibiki's silence had robbed her of any chance to connect with her uncle back home, back when he was still alive.

"Stop it Tenten! Stop it right now!" Hiashi finally made a move and held her flailing arms, reporting in his usual brusque manner even though he was as bewildered as the next soldier witnessing the scene. "My _Byakugan's_ picking up some movement... looks like Naruto's back and something's up! We must get ourselves ready for battle again!"

Orders were soon passed down from the top, and despite the befuddling spectacle, the troops at the beaches were immediately reinvigorated as they received instructions barked by squad leaders and sensors across the vast coastal area. Kurotsuchi led Tenten away from the Konoha adults, mumbling to an understanding Hiashi that it was best for her cousin to have some time to come to terms with whatever she had learnt and had her life changed so unexpectedly. The Hyuuga head nodded mutely as he heard the Iwagakure kunoichi verbalise the word 'cousin' as a ratifier of their relationship, watching the distressed girl whom his nephew had beseeched for him to take care of stumble off in a dazed stupor. The voices of the others were buzzing around his ears as he turned and stared at Ibiki for a few moments, before he placed a firm hand on the shoulder of the teetering man, who now still his right arm held on to by a concerned Kurenai.

"Don't worry, Ibiki. She just needs some time to... to come to terms with this," Hiashi said, trying to be as comforting as he could. "While I don't fully understand the whole picture, it seems like you also require some time to recollect your thoughts before you speak to Tenten about this again."

"And this time, tell her everything," added Kurenai soothingly as she patted his broad back. "No reason to hold back any information now, my friend, now that it's all out in the open."

"You really can't blame her for reacting this way, of course," Tsume spat, the only one among the three bystanders who had put on a scowl of disapproval. "For her to find out this way... from... from strangers! From people she's only just met yesterday or today! And what in the world is up with that? Is the world really that small?"

The Kumogakure blonde sensor who had been bearing witness to the whole scene emitted a slight cough; realising that he must have kept his mouth agape while viewing the events unfold and escalate so quickly, C inhaled deeply and watched balefully as the two kunoichi made their way back towards him and Kitsuchi, sensing the intense desolation that had overcome the man who had taken such great care of him when he himself had been ill-disposed earlier. As he made to follow Tenten and her Iwa comrades, he allowed himself one last lingering look at the Tokubetsu Jounin, managing to catch his eyes as the latter chose this moment to finally raise his dejected face. The world of pain brimming in his forlorn, tear-filled eyes alarmed C greatly, and he made a decision there and then, that he would try as best as he could to repair the damage that he and Kurotsuchi had unwittingly caused, as soon as possible, to repay the debt that he owed him.

"Don't... don't call me that."

Just a few metres ahead, as Kitsuchi tore his way ahead back to the central area where the fight had already begun, Kurosutchi was staring blankly at the younger girl who had, quite suddenly, disengaged herself roughly from her grasp. C stepped up and stood next to the Iwa kunoichi, staring at the teen whose lips were quivering as badly as her trembling hands as she summoned two gleaming blades from her right scroll.

"Don't call me... don't use that word... don't call me... 'cousin'..." Tenten's voice was filled with a cold, steely edge that was starkly missing from her earlier ballistic rants at her fellow Konoha ninja. "I don't... I don't know what that word means... I don't know you... and you don't... you don't know anything about me... so... so no... please don't call me... 'cousin'... I can't... I can't accept... can't accept it yet."

The intensity in her eyes and the rising colour in her cheeks threw both Kurotsuchi and C off guard, as the sea breeze chose this moment to tousle their hair with its increasing energy. While the Iwa female stayed tongue-tied as the Konohagakure teen kunoichi simply turned to leave, the male sensor's voice managed to stop her in her tracks, each word that he spoke seemingly craftily selected to pull her back.

"With those katana blades of yours, you look just like your mother... just like the Miyame-_chan_ that I remember... the night that she was fighting for her life... for the safety of her husband and her child... for you, Tenten. The night that she fought Danzo Shimura together with my... my dearly departed sister. When you're ready to stop acting in the self-absorbed, bratty way you're behaving right now... get past your butt hurt and give people a chance to tell you more about your parents, let me know. Perhaps then, you'd realise Ibiki probably kept you safe from that craven bastard Danzo of your village, by keeping your parentage a secret."

With that, C vaulted past the distraught teen as the clangs of yet another rousing battle rang across the horizon once again, leaving her in the care of the young woman she had so blatantly rejected less than a minute ago. Less than two seconds later, Kurotsuchi followed suit, hesitantly mumbling an apology as she did, leaving the addled girl alone in her thoughts and the company of the water lapping at her sandaled feet.


	117. Chapter 117

**Part 11: History and Her Story (7)**

"_Futon: Rasenshuriken_!"

The surrounding shinobi, those who could afford to be distracted for a brief spell anyway, turned their heads toward the deafening screeching produced by the formation of the prodigious technique, the four large points created giving the central Spiralling Sphere the appearance of a giant Fuma Shuriken. Previously requiring at least two of his _Kage Bunshin_ shadow clones for shape transformation and nature manipulation while he provided the base chakra, the new form of Uzumaki Naruto was now working solo, his extended chakra arms performing the task instead while he kept his senses sharp and spry for even more White Zetsu clones morphed into soldiers of the Shinobi Alliance. Even as the whirring blades were spinning themselves through Naruto's targets and tearing them apart way before they hit the waters and caused a massive implosion, he was already pointing out other impostors with his newly acquired _senjutsu_ prowess, guiding the Alliance members in their renewed vigour against the enemy.

"Izumo, Kotetsu! Twenty yards to your right! That group of Kirigakure soldiers… all impostors! General Darui, five o'clock! You there, with that big afro! Those two Iwa soldiers who are coming up right behind you!"

With nary a doubt, his comrades acted like clockwork, focusing their _ninjutsu_ and _taijutsu_ techniques on the impostors that he had pinpointed, showing their deepest trust and fullest cooperation. Though he was one of the few clones that had been sent to the various locations to render invaluable assistance in the Alliance's bid to wipe out the treacherous White Zetsu Army that was still more than capable of raising hell if their guard was let down, Naruto could still feel a tingling warmth enveloping his chest as he witnessed his fellow shinobi in action. Uchiha Itachi's voice resonated in his mind, as his earlier reminder to Naruto that he would definitely need the help and support of all his friends in this nihilistic war that had been thrown upon them struck home fully. While he sent a resounding punch with one of his chakra arms that caused a turbaned Suna kunoichi to fly several hundred metres across the horizon with a piercing shriek, his thoughts were once again filled by the face of the brother of the resurrected Uchiha, and he wondered when he would encounter Sasuke on the battlefield.

"Those… soldiers… traversing across the waters towards us…all Zetsu clones!"

Before he could even activate his vocal chords to warn the others of the impending troop of jackals that must have emerged from the surrounding cliffs somehow, Naruto was dumbstruck by the sight of a stupendous barrage of projectile weapons whizzing straight at them. Yamanaka Ino landed right beside him at this moment, expelling the repeated syllable of the name of their friend, although she appeared utterly unfazed by the staggering amount of kunai and shuriken that was filling their fields of vision, as if she had encountered such a phenomenon sufficient times to know that it was her friend's handiwork. What was causing the former outcast and now revered hero of Konohagakure to stifle a gasp was how each and every single one of the sharpened blades seemed to be imbued by some kind of lightning ability, since once Tenten's victims were pierced, they seemed to be totally incapacitated, frozen to the spot with blue tendrils of electricity licking their way all over their rigid bodies, the stupefying electrocution process enhanced by the water beneath their feet and sending the impostors into a howling frenzy.

"_Shinran Enbu no Jutsu_!"

Naruto's orbs continued shimmering in unadulterated awe as he witnessed first-hand how totally calm and composed the blonde Yamanaka female teen was as she formed the intricate seal with her delicate fingers, sending her chakra into her harrowed targets' nervous systems and gaining complete control of their bodies. Gaping slightly at the sight of six clones clad in Kumogakure attire savagely thrusting their blades into the torsos of their fellow clones, he realised that they had been disconnected from their will by Ino's unorthodox Mind Disturbance Dance Performance technique, one that seemed to work exceptionally well despite the notable distance between them and the unfortunate horde.

"_Hosenka Hi no Maki_!"

Naruto continued to be pleasantly astonished by the stirring exhibition of his friends' aggrandised abilities that seemed to be on full display now; a sixty-degree turn to his right found an air-borne Tenten greeting his eyes, waving a pulchritudinous red-and-white frond as her voice filled the air-waves with clear deleterious intent. The force of the timorous bellow that escaped her pink lips was well-matched by the sheer puissance of the earth-shattering assault that was arresting the attention of everyone in the vicinity. The hundreds of questions that were taking root in his mind and begging to be answered had to be handled later, for Naruto was now joining in the revelry of the surrounding soldiers, crying out in animated alacrity together with rest of his cheering comrades.

"Look at that! She's back! The girl… the Konoha weapons girl! She's back with that fan!"

With a guttural screech that shook the heavens and sent shivers down spines, the fiery raptor that was unleashed by Tenten's ethereal ninja tool was soon spreading its monstrous wings in a momentary pause before swooping down and devouring the mass of hapless clones, incinerating them in an instant with its hellish flames. The remaining three that had managed to somehow evade the majestic creature's malevolent hell-bent intensity merely bought themselves a few more seconds in the land of the living, since Ino's own abilities took care of them easily.

"The girls… and Chouji… they've really pulled through in many ways in the past day, Naruto, just like you have."

Shikamaru's voice registered itself in his eardrums as the _Kage Bunshin_ clone finally managed to catch his breath, the preceding visual spectacle astounding his heightened senses to the point that he had almost stopped in his dire task in identifying the enemy heavily shrouded in the midst of their ranks. The Nara youth's own shadow techniques had also been activated, at this moment holding more than a dozen Zetsu charlatans rooted in their place, while his Akimichi buddy was triggering a familiar jutsu that saw his massive augmented fists ripping them apart in less than a minute. After giving his friend a brief update on what had been occurring ever since the division had been thrown into a tumultuous maelstrom the day before, Shikamaru was stumped for a few moments when Naruto provided a startling response that was at once startling and confounding, but to the Nara teen, also not totally unexpected.

"I'm not stunned by what they are showing, Shikamaru," Naruto's grim reply was seething through gritted teeth as he sent a few more clones flailing haplessly straight into Chouji's colossal outstretched fingers that crushed them into oblivion. "I'm more perturbed by the stark pain… the agony… that seems to be consuming Tenten even as she fights with this much fervour."

Before Shikamaru could formulate his thoughts into words, Naruto made a sudden turn and kept his eyes peeled across the vast horizon, his irises blazing partly due to his chakra cloak but mostly due to the spike in his sensory abilities that had just picked up yet another new commotion.

"_Edo Tensei_… Here to free those that have been sealed… mainly Dan Kato and … Kakuzu."

"More zombies? Drat!" Shikamaru's brows parted in dismay as he raised his hands in mock surrender. "We'd just returned from subduing Hiruko, for God's sake!"

Just as Naruto was about to express his utter disbelief at this outrageous revelation, his mind spinning with even more endless queries , Konoha's strategy marvel had already regained his equanimity, as if the exasperation that he had just exhibited a mere second was never in existence. The signature dark and sullen look returned as his brows came closer together again, as he bade Naruto to stay put since Darui and Kitsuchi still required his abilities to filter the impersonators out of the thousands of soldiers. Pausing for a moment after learning the identities of these new entrees, Shikamaru's dark eyes bored into his friend's as he repeated his request.

"Only after you've cleared things here with the White Zetsu clones do you even make your way towards us, you understand? We can hold the _Edos_ back and if possible, seal them on our own. The safety of our troops is still at stake, and the rest of us ... Tenten... Chouji... with their current abilities, they can do what's necessary to..."

"We aren't the only ones, you know... to have earned our merit."

"Excuse me?"

"What you said earlier... about Ino, Chouji, Tenten... about me. Well, we're not the only ones among us Konoha youths who're showing how capable we are or how our skills have improved, my friend."

Blinking twice before returning Naruto's affectionate squeeze of his shoulder, Shikamaru nodded and gave a nonchalant smirk as he took off expeditiously to gather his comrades yet again, a strange sensation surging through his entire being; chiding himself for being so easily swayed in the middle of battle with just a simple acknowledgement, the proxy commander of Division Four promptly located his teammates, dodging and weaving past battling shinobi. With Ino's help, he was able to transmit an urgent message to a few specific ninja, who responded immediately in the affirmative by making their way to their designated meeting point near the medical tents.

"We need to hurry... the rest are already on their way."

The Konohagakure duo had been fighting side by side in muted silence ever since their combination of elemental power, psychic disruption and _bukijutsu_ demolished the horde that had threatened to reinforce the Zetsu impostors. With a right-angle swivel, the blonde kunoichi parried a frantic thrust with her own tanto, returning the enervated clone's feeble attempt with determined accuracy and elevated strength. Using the sputtering deadweight body as a springboard, Ino spun around and delivered a high heel kick that sent the clone sprawling and falling back over two others. Maintaining a staunch mental link with Naruto was proving to be of astute impertinence since he was able to direct her to sieve out more of the clones around. With a psychic sweep and noting that the other sensors like Mizuko and Bekkou were also linked to him in the same way and located at different locations, she turned to her current partner who had just taken care of the three would-be assailants if not for her well-placed kick two seconds earlier.

Due to the overt power she had openly manifested with the sacred fan, it was evident that there was much warranted caution and trepidation from the surrounding Alliance soldiers, and Tenten was simply raising more eyebrows with the arrant savagery she was blatantly demonstrating. The three impostors that were transforming back to White Zetsu forms had severe slash marks all over their torsos, courtesy of the weapons mistress's twin machete blades that were now embedded in the broken ribs of two corpses. Just like her Yamanaka peer, the brown-haired kunoichi was not missing a beat, thrusting a fiery spear brutally into the robust chest of a clone adopting the form of a fellow Konoha soldier and with sheer might, pushed him back against two other snarling adversaries and sent the burning spear goring through their bodies and melding the morphing masses together. As Ino was about to repeat her reminder, she was jarred by the sight of her peer dropping heavily to her knees with no warning apart from stabbing the sandy beach with the gleaming katana that she was holding on to. Sliding next to Tenten's side, the young blonde was almost completely thrown off to find a trail of tears trickling down her pal's right cheek, especially when she checked to see that her line of vision was directed at the few vanquished White Zetsu clones that were losing their Konohagakure shinobi disguise.

"Hayate Gekkou... the Chunin exam facilitator… Hayate was... he was my uncle, Ino," the pensive girl was now solemnly conveying this totally abominable piece of information, something that apparently must have been acutely encumbering her thoughts for the past minutes and fuelling her dynamism, her deadpan expression garbling the astringent amount of hurt her quivering voice was belying. "He... he's dead, just like... just like his sister... just like my... my mother... my parents. Within … within scant minutes, I gained and lost my family, Ino. I lost my family members before even getting the chance to know ... to know any one of them..."


	118. Chapter 118

**Part 11: History and Her Story (8)**

"_Shikotsumyaku: Sawarabi no Mai_!"

He felt the deep creases under his already deep-set eyes tighten as he stretched his eyelids in aghast consternation at the adversary's latest assault, which was taking such a superior range that he could already hear agonised cries filling the vicinity. Countless bones were exploding out from underground, the bladed constructs indiscriminately slaughtering whoever stood on the forested ground's surface. Expelling a loud bellow to warn his fellow samurai to retreat and take to the air or the surrounding trees, Mifune of the Land of Iron unsheathed his Kurosawa, his katana that had formed an identity with him and established a legendary status as the General's _Meitou_.

Gripping the bandaged hilt of his long and thin blade, the fearless General of Division Five sped ahead dexterously, espousing _Iaido_ in his delicate control of the ninja tool, demonstrating smooth, controlled movements as he struck out at the resurrected Edo's sui generis Macabre Bone Pulse _Kekkei Genkai_ ability. Using this particularly specific style of _kenjutsu_ that saw him executing inexorably cutting slashes that were much faster and stronger than ones performed swords already drawn due to the linear motion and force applied to drawing from then replacing the Kurosawa in his scabbard, the grey-haired man kept his senses sharp for the appearance of the now-extinct Kaguya clan descendent amongst the field of bones, having immediately recognised his ancestry from the two scarlet dot-like markings on the zombie's forehead from the start of battle the day before.

Though he had managed to subdue the reincarnated version of Amegakure's legendary Hanzo of the Salamander, a past opponent whom he had to remind of his ideals of peace and harmony back when he was alive, the renowned swordsman had had trouble sealing Otogakure's Kimimaro and Sunagakure's Chiyo, both with exceptionally advanced ninjutsu and taijutsu abilities that had submerged his division and the ambush squad led by General Gaara's brother Kankuro into much distressing disquietude for almost twenty hours. Despite the growing number of bodies adorned in the Land of Iron's signature heavy segmented plate armour lying around the arena, Mifune showed no sign of regret of having committed his samurai fully to fighting the threat of the Akatsuki's forces despite his home's long held position of neutrality in previous ninja wars.

"Come out and face me, Kimimaro! Come out and face me like the man you were, back when you were alive!"

Ever since Uzumaki Naruto's appearance a half-hour ago, the pair of Edo Tensei resurrections had taken more precautionary steps, ensuring that they could be kept active on the battlefield as long as they could and avoid being sealed by Suna nins, who unfortunately made up a fair amount of the corpses in the area. Having dispatched several squads to aid other divisions in response to requests from Konohagakure's Nara Shikaku who was currently left in charge of the Alliance headquarters at Kumogakure, the master swordsman had less than half of the ninja capable of activating the sealing technique.

The stealthy and loyal former henchman of Orochimaru had killed many sealing team members with his starkly advanced expertise, and even Mifune's own more traditional samurai armour had taken a few hits from Kimimaro's _Teshi Sendan_ Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets, hardened bone projectiles shot out from his fingertips that were excavating skin, flesh, bone and even the samurai's steel armour of less agile, unsuspecting victims. The current high-level Dance of the Seedling Fern jutsu that the white-haired, pale-skinned _Edo_ was doling out was just as effective in preventing the other combatants from advancing towards him apart from paralysing those who had been slowed down either by exhaustion, injury or poison.

"_Tessenka no Mai: Tsuru, Hana_!"

Having modified and pulled out his spinal column, and regrown a new spine to replace it within seconds, Kimimaro emerged wordlessly with poignant grace and speed from the midst of the innumerable bones, flicking the lengthy bone-and-cartilage whip expertly at Mifune who retaliated with several well-placed parries at the vertebrae's threatening protrusions. Mildly surprised that the elderly man knew that his Dance of the Clematis: Vine weapon had impossible range and almost impossible to dodge and had chosen to strike back instead, the zombie curled his pallid lips ever so slightly before he followed up his first attack with Dance of the Clematis: Flower, opting to continue the second half of his dance even though he had failed to immobilise his target. The immense drill-like bone structure that was covering his left forearm was chakra-enhanced to the highest degree of hardness and solidity due to dense compression, and just before he swerved speedily to lock on to Mifune, his grey sclera registered the bright yellow figure that was blitzing towards them.

At once, the overtly calm and quiet individual, though utterly dedicated to whatever mission was at hand and assigned to him, felt a tingle of relief sparked from his core – despite his natural talent for combat and unique abilities making him the strongest of his now non-existent clan, he had never had a particular interest in fighting or killing, seeing his abilities only as a means to be of use to others. Even if upon his revival he had contemplated and appreciated the fact that Orochimaru's chakra was flowing within him via Kabuto's crafty machinations, Kimmaro faced the fast-approaching chakra-cloaked _Kage Bunshin_ clone with a strange detachment, silently acknowledging that just like how he had faced his last opponents back when he was alive – one with unrivalled ability to manipulate chakra-infused sand, the other a green-clad _taijutsu_ virtuoso – he would probably not get to get to demonstrate the full destructive power of his last dance.

And just like before, back when he was at the brink of death, Kimimaro knew that he was totally at peace with this outcome.

"_Konoha Shofu_!"

Using his entire lean body as a springboard, Rock Lee amassed the necessary power through adopting a posture which deceptively saw the back of his green-clad body falling down. The power of the kick from the ground was instantly converted into a blow when he kicked just above the head, launching the White Zetsu clone several metres into the air. Following up the Leaf Rising Wind technique with a concupiscent holler of "_Konoha Tsumuji Senpu_!", he spun around almost instantaneously to attack the next clone with a powerful roundhouse kick to the neck, the Leaf Coiling Whirlwind strike ripping its torso in half. As the first clone was dropping back to the ground, Lee leapt towards it and performed the same technique a few times in mid-air, shredding its body into bits that fell to the ground with gut-wrenching slops.

"There you go, Sai!" he beamed brightly as he landed on both feet nimbly. "Another two pests taken care of…"

The utter lack of response from his comrade clamped his vocal chords shut, and Lee studied the morose look of the ex-Root member for a few moments as he continued carrying out his preparations of his Tiger Vision Staring Bullet Sealing Technique wordlessly, handling the bulky brush with a disenchantment and lack of vigour. Despite how the enormity of the illustration required an extended period of time and effort to complete, Sai had handled the last few tasks of sealing the resurrected Bakuton terror Gari previously from Iwagakure's Explosive Corps, and Fuguki Suikazan and Jinin Akebino of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist with at least a lot more zeal. Lee averted his gaze from his fellow Konoha peer, partly because he still had to provide protection from stray Zetsu clones but mostly due to the fact that he was quite uncertain how to handle the awkward silence. He wanted to voice out his own thoughts, that though he understood how it felt to be worried about his fellow teammates as well, he was certain that Sakura would be fine in the medical compound. However, the pain etched on Sai's face, an expression that Lee had never seen on his mild features before seemed to signify that his mind was preoccupied with much deeper thoughts.

With Naruto's descent to the battlegrounds, Division Three's shinobi were at an all-time high, since the _Kage Bunshin_ clone was performing such a varied array of moves that the new horde of White Zetsu reinforcements was being tackled relatively easily, elevating the troops' morale and energy levels by gargantuan portions. Though there were still two _Edo Tensei_ resurrections to deal with, for the last of Kirigakure's famed swordsmen Mangetsu and Sunagakure's Shakuton-wielding kunoichi Pakura of the Sand remained as evasive and pesky as ever, the tide had certainly turned for the division. With Kakashi-_sensei _and Guy-_sensei_ leading Omoi and Maki's squads and Naruto handling the Zetsu threat with perfunctory ease, it was only a matter of time before the dwindling numbers of the enemy ranks were totally eradicated.

He blinked.

The moisture that had just trickled down and rolled off his chin was turning the few blades of grass a deeper shade of green, the realisation causing him to actually put a halt to his exertions. He felt his own irises dilating as he continued to stare in wide-eyed wonder at the exact spot that was slowly turning darker as the seconds ticked by, and he knew that despite the inane heat, it was definitely not his perspiration that was staining the ground. Before he could even come to terms with the fact in a little more than twenty-four hours he was shedding tears for the second time after years of pre-conditioned austerity and rejection of human emotions, Sai felt a firm grip on his left shoulder. He turned slightly to find Lee wearing a solemn look of empathy, and as he gulped down the painful lump in his throat, he could not help but emit a slight chuckle at the sight of the two ration pills proffered perplexingly on his outstretched palm. Nodding mutely, knowing that his friend needed no explicit explanation, he accepted the pills and popped them into his mouth, before shaking the youth's hand in gratitude and returning to his assigned duty with bolder, less faltering strokes.

"_Shannaro_!"

The pulverised body hit the ground hard, before the resulting impact sent it ricocheting a few more metres away as it started to lose its Iwagakure façade. Sakura Haruno inhaled deeply before darting swiftly again to a petrified Kiri medic cowering a short distance away, leaping over him to deliver another dose of her high-octane punches straight into the gut of a surly soldier a few metres behind him. As her clenched fist rammed right through supposed flesh and bone, the facial features of the Kumo male started evolving, just like how her very first discovery of the Zetsu impostor the night before had caused the handsome face of Neji Hyuuga to disintegrate into a garishly ghastly demonic creature right before her very eyes.

"'Pigs have no hands'... heh... that was kind of an epic statement..."

As she wiped the slime nonchalantly on her battle-stained smock, she raised her eyes, burning with intense fervour, to take stock of what was going on around the medical compound. Naruto's timely arrival had not only saved her, Shizune and Gouza from grievous harm, it was also drastically reducing the number of White Zetsu clones cloaked in the skin of Alliance soldiers they had managed to pilfer chakra patterns from. Initially she was shell-shocked at how developed Naruto's skills had become, to actually be able to sense negative emotions such as hatred and killing intent, a startlingly unforeseen ability that had become the key to identifying transformed Zetsu duplicators.

"Don't worry Sakura-_chan_. The other _Kage Bunshin_ clones are probably all helping out our friends in the other units! I believe one of us has just saved Hinata!"

The memory of the genuine thrill in Naruto's voice resided at the back of her mind, as she rejoiced inwardly at how the great discomposure and temblor that the entire medical unit had been plunged into since the night before was finally being properly dealt with. As she took a step back and studied the leisurely repose of her longtime teammate as he directed the deft Yuugao and the zealous Gouza towards a quartet of clones, the name that Naruto had mentioned earlier with such affection was arousing the image of the gentle, mild-mannered kunoichi, daughter of the head of the Hyuuga clan.

"Sasuke-_kun_..."

As her hands pulsed with the glowing energy of the Mystical Palm technique while she rendered quick aid to a fellow female combatant of her home village, she was temporarily transported back to the time when she had had to apply the same _jutsu_ and heal Hinata after she got gravely hurt while attempting to save Naruto from Akatsuki's Pain. What had stunned her back then was how the docile and outwardly timid girl had managed to muster that amazing amount of courage to challenge one who was clearly her superior in every single way, simply because she wanted to defend the love of her life. Sakura felt the colour rising to her cheeks at the painfully flagrant memory of how she herself had not only been unable to summon the necessary courage to commit to her plan of ending Sasuke's reign of terror, she had also almost been callously killed by him as well, with him portraying utter disregard for her when he had lunged at her without the single bat of an eyelid.

It had always been Naruto who had saved her, whether it was back on that fateful day when she felt as if her heart had been broken into smithereens after that ordeal, or just minutes ago when he landed on the two deceptive Zetsu assailants right in the nick of time. He had sworn to retrieve their former teammate countless times over the last few years but perhaps the Uchiha descendent, swimming in a pool of darkness and an insatiable thirst for vengeance, was really beyond redemption. A tinge of remorse bit her when she was reminded of how she had rejected the admirer who had crept into the medical tent the previous night to confess his love, with her response that she was in love with someone else.

And up till that very moment, it had still been Sasuke, the man who had shown absolutely no hesitance in wanting to end her life.

With yet another pronounced inhalation, Sakura attempted to shake off the woeful feeling by forcing herself to remain as dedicated as she should be to her role in this treacherous war. Standing upright now while she left her injured comrade in Yabuza's care, she focused her field of vision right on the flashy _Kyuubi_-chakra cloaked Kage Bunshin clone a distance away yelling instructions for other shinobi to follow, gritting her teeth and cracking her knuckles as she thought about how Naruto was always burdened with insurmountable tasks that seemed impossible to bear.

This time, she would face his burdens together with him, right till the very end, just like Hinata and the rest of their peers would.

"_Shugohakke Rokujuuyon Sho_!"

The teen girl's highly versatile Protection of the Eight Tigrams Sixty-Four Palms technique was a sight to behold, as she emitted a constant stream of blue pulsating chakra from her palms that were formed into extremely thin, sharp blades. The five impersonators who had threatened to cut her down using the sheer advantage of numbers were now suffering for their belligerence, for each and every single one of them was instead being sucked into the living spherical barricade that was protecting Hinata Hyuuga from head to toe, and being hit multiple times within the remaining few seconds they had. The flexible, arc-shaped chakra blades that were spreading out across her entire attack range were also creating an absolute defence system for the user within the sparkling blue dome, rebuffing all of her attackers so efficaciously that whoever had a chance to be marvelling at this spectacular display were visibly consumed by awe.

She was actually smiling.

As the inheritor of the Hyuuga clan's fearsome techniques powered down, the chakra slivers vanishing from sight as effortlessly as Hinata had conjured them, her cousin observed how the right corner of her upper lip was stretched upward ever so genially while her arched brows lost their tautness at the same time. While he was not facing her directly, his activated _Byakugan_ was allowing him to detect every nuanced movement of her facial features as he continued surveying the surrounding woods for potential sneak attacks.

Though ever since Naruto's arrival, it seemed as if Neji Hyuuga had little reconnaissance duty to perform since his fellow Konoha peer's abilities seemed to have been raised to such an exalted status within such a short period of time.

He staggered a little backwards as his visual field became slightly distorted for the umpteenth time in the past few hours, ever since the execrable incident with the Tenten impostor who had almost robbed him entirely of the ability to function. It was at that split second that his ears pricked at the sound of a blade slicing through the air towards his back, but just as he was about to erect his own formidable _Kaiten_ shield, he was seized by yet another pang of anxiety that he might not be able to deflect the lone kunai in time. At that critical moment, the jarring metallic clang that seemed to have erupted just next to his eardrums indicated that someone else had just saved him from a direct hit.

In his head, Neji Hyuuga made a mental calculation that he could no longer count the number of times he had been rescued with his fingers on both hands within the last day.

The comrade who had saved him this time wore the same dirty-green flak jacket as he was, spinning out of her assault tactic after getting rid of Neji's assailer with her sharpened claws. Her brown fringe and ponytail falling back in place smoothly after the frenetic outburst, framing her delicate features nicely as she raised her glistening orbs towards the Hyuuga teen. Instead of asking verbally if he was all right, Hana Inuzuka simply gave him a curt nod and a quick wink, raising her torso from her crouching position and instructing her three canine companions, the Three Haimaru Brothers, to follow Naruto who was waving for them to follow him.

"She's come a long way, hasn't she?"

Following her line of vision, Team Guy's acclaimed prodigious genius could only reply with a low mutter of agreement, watching his cousin trail behind the chakra-infused form of one whom the whole Alliance army had sworn to protect from Uchiha Madara and Kabuto Yakushi's malevolent clutches. It was true that Hinata's enthusiasm had increased dramatically after Naruto's appearance, although truth be told, the same could be said about the rest of the division's troops since they were finally able to fight with a lot less apprehension of potential threats sneakily taking the form of fellow comrades. Initially, Neji had even voiced his skepticism since the Uzumaki teen's chakra signature had become one he could not recognise with his _dojutsu_, but it had been the ever faithful Hinata who proclaimed confidently that there was no need for Naruto to prove his identity, fully trusting the odd new form that he had taken with nary a twinge of misgiving.

"You'll meet her soon, Neji, and you'll be as delighted as Hinata is now, to be fighting side by side with… with someone you care about. Now that you know she's safe and sound… that she's still alive… fight for that moment… that moment when you have your reunion. I'm look forward to mine with Raido as well, and I know that I'm going to continue fighting hard for the greater good, and for our reunion to happen."

Just like how he had never expected Kiba to have shown him such brotherly concern in his enervated state the night before, he was now equally dumbfounded by what his sister was sharing with him. Expelling a soft gasp as he slackened his jaw in surprise, Neji raised his brows at the sudden vague memory of Raido Namiashi's right arm slung protectively over Hana's shoulders back when Naruto was being heralded as the Leaf Village's hero for ending the destruction that the Akatsuki had brought upon their home, and even managed to convince the enemy to resurrect dead villagers and shinobi back to life with the timorously sinister _Rinne Tensei no Jutsu. _The moment of stupefaction gave way to a broad smile when Hana gave him another purposeful wink, bidding him to keep this information a secret since even her mother Tsume and brother Kiba had no idea about the budding relationship she was having on the sly.

"You mean your relationship with Raido? Please, sis, Mum and I found out weeks ago! Akamaru told Kuromaru about it, thanks to your three gossipy pets! Go figure!"

Neji had no idea how Hana's own advanced sensory abilities could have missed her own brother's snarky presence, but Kiba's unexpected appearance had caused her to stay rooted to the spot for quite a few seconds before she yelled at him to stop gambolling away from her on his steed. As the Inuzuka male replied with a rude wolf whistle that echoed around the enclosed area, baiting the flushed and frantic female medic to bound agitatedly after him, the Hyuuga warrior's smile froze before he was stricken by a stark realisation, one that caused a dizzy spell to hit him hard and fast and made him almost double over.

Just as how Hana had not detected Kiba's gleeful entrance in the midst of her kind intentions of giving him some encouragement and motivation, Neji's own extolled abilities had failed to do the same as well.

"This Uzumaki kid hasn't changed much, has he? He's still rushing into battle so… so recklessly."

The speaker's fellow Tokubetsu Jounin gave a derisive snigger as he agreed with a mild shake of his head, but he knew that his friend was as taken aback by Naruto's transformed appearance as he was. Raido Namiashi raised his Black Blade _Kokutou_, the uniquely darkened, non-reflective surface heavily coated with poison, as he followed Genma Shiranui in launching himself after their sole target once again. Once again, Madara Uchiha's henchman was converting the white half of his body and plant-like extensions into _Mokuton_-based root assaults, tearing up the terrain apart as the remaining shinobi took to the air for the umpteenth time ever since the battle began the day before.

"_Yoton: Youkai no Jutsu_! _Ryuumon_!"

The Daimyo Protection Squad had been locked in a battle for senseless hours throughout night and day, and the Fourth Mizukage had produced her Lava Release: Melting Apparition Technique Flowing Crest technique numerous times, the forceful spurts of viscous lava shot surreptitiously from her mouth dissolving Black Zetsu's Wood Release constructs at a rapid speed. Splintering through gigantic wood boughs with his prized sword and replenished energy from three army pills, Raido continued manoeuvring his way through the nettlesome creature's summons that seemed to show no sign of waning, shooting speedily out from various parts of the greatly desecrated ground in pursuit of more weakened victims to penetrate and bore through.

A sharp piece of wooden shrapnel hit his cheek, slightly tracing the weal-like scar that ran across the bridge of his nose and down the left side of his face. The resulting prickling sensation somehow seemed to be triggering a multitude of spasmodic emotions as Raido tore his way through the demon's tactics, arousing several images that, though did not impede his swift motions, startled him with their vividness and effulgence. He bit his lower lip as an odd sting returned to his face, one that he knew was not actually physically present but imagined, and had not appeared in his consciousness for many months.

The apparitional tingle summoned the masked face of the female ANBU who had rescued him from certain death all those years ago, back when he had been an incorrigible Chunin filled with way too much conceit and narcissism that led him to almost perish under the hands of Sunagakure's renowned kunoichi whose beauty almost veiled the tremendous power that she could conjure. At that point of time, having never come across the bizarre properties of the antithetical Scorch Release, Raido had foolishly ventured on a self-imposed mission of seeking out Pakura of the Sand based on some unestablished hearsay of how she had massacred Konohagakure shinobi, information that was later refuted and proven untrue.

"I heard you were rescued by a fellow Konoha shinobi… an ANBU who could summon cranes."

For years, Raido had been haunted by the ordeal of having almost half his face burned off the Suna's _Shakuton_ heat-seeking orbs. In those years, he had sought for the last bit of scar tissue that had remained engraved on his tanned skin to be healed, but even the best medics had not been able to remove Pakura's perennial mark on his left cheek. Following the incident, he had grown to become a much more composed and methodical shinobi, eventually earning his name as a noted veteran warrior who supported the village with his extensive experience and skills as a prominent assassin and later, even a guard for the Fourth Hokage together with his comrades. Even then, every few months, he would be coaxed by his inner demons to seek medical expertise to attempt to erase the scar that had given him fitful nights in his developmental years as a young shinobi.

"Frankly, I think it looks good on you. I don't even feel that it's necessary to seek treatment for it. It gives you… character."

He felt as if his racing heart was decelerating as he perched on one of Black Zetsu's thick, sturdy boughs, as if the resurgence of Hana Inuzuka's voice in his head was miraculously soothing his frazzled nerves. It had almost been a year since those words, verbalised so frankly and genuinely out of her pink lips, caused him to glance up at her in mild consternation and wonder if she was provoking his senses with sarcasm. He held her cheery gaze for a few moments before he realised he had to be staring at her deep, dark eyes and fang-like tattoos with too much ardour, and jerked his own eyes away acutely. They had known of each other's existence of course, but never had had the chance to communicate; it was only when he heard of Hana's extremely sharp and attentive mind in regards with medical techniques and how she seemed to be concocting marvelous solutions based on her own dedication to her research pertaining to veterinary medicine, that he sought her help in removing the scar tissue.

That fateful evening, instead of actually seeking the elusive treatment that he had hungered for years, he ended up sharing about the whole experience from beginning to end, something he had never done as he had remained tight-lipped about the issue even with his closest friends. Hana responded only when required, otherwise paying keen attention to her patient's words and appearing totally absorbed by them. It was the first time in years that Raido poured out his true feelings about the debauching incident, the fact that his contemptible behaviour had almost caused an international furore and how much rebuke he faced from the higher authorities finally escaping his loosened lips. He spent some time gushing about the long and intense battle between Pakura and his benefactor whose impeccable instincts had led her to trailing him once she discovered his solitary presence at the outskirts of the village, lamenting wanly that by the time he had mustered enough bravado to finally approach the ANBU and proffer his gratitude, the female sword-wielder was inextricably embroiled in her own festering quandaries with the Konoha leaders.

Miyame Gekkou, Raido had fondly reminisced to his avid listener, eliciting a short gasp with the revelation of a name that had not been heard of for years, one whose familiarity stemmed from the fact that the unfortunate demise of one of Hana's peers was still something she had had to grapple with. As he waxed lyrical about the _kenjutsu _and _fuinjutsu_ abilities of his saviour, describing in vivid detail what he could still recall from the enthralling battle in his incapacitated state, he paused momentarily when she shot him a quizzical look and asked if he was not just simply describing an older version of the young weapons mistress in Team Guy, musing at the coincidence of how even the hair-style sounded similar based on his descriptions.

That was also when the conversation came to a grinding halt when the Tokubetsu Jounin finally blurted the question that had been thumping through his head for the preceding minutes - whether he could take the female medic out for dinner.

"I thought you'd never ask."

Snapped out of his retrospective reverie by Black Zetsu's never-ending manipulation of the terrain using his Underground Roots technique for various offensive and defensive purposes – for trickery, misdirection and restriction all at once, Raido vaulted over the massive roots tangling around one another while continuing to rise out of the ground as they threatened to crush any opponent caught in between them. Following Genma's lead, he was just about to charge ahead as they witnessed how the flashy Naruto clone was being tripped over again, when a heart-stopping scene arrested the attention of every single one of the Konoha and Kiri shinobi present.

"_Hiramekarei Kaihou_!"

The _Rasenshuriken_ that spun out of Naruto's hand as he fell was not what had sliced through their demonic adversary in half; rather, what was rousing all the wide-eyed gawking expressions around the arena was the realisation that it was the uncharacteristically shy and meek member of the elite Seven Swordsmen of the Mist who had managed to finally score a direct, battle-ending strike against one who had caused them endless grief for the past day. Having unleashed his _Hiramekarei_ by emitting a large quantity of chakra on either side of the wide, flat blade with two curved indentations near its base, Choujuro had cut right through Black Zetsu's formidable form from behind as he was distracted by Naruto's tumble, the flounder fish-shaped sword having evolved into a long-sword of an incredible size.

Just as he turned to face his teammates, the dour look that had registered on Genma's face made Raido flinch inwardly; it was evident that his friend was now being contacted by fellow Konoha shinobi Yamanaka Inoichi via a psychic transmission. He turned to glance at the currently joyous and celebratory Mizukage as Genma reported the dire message, his heart skipping a beat at the indomitable task relegated to the Hokage Guard Platoon and the stupefying Hiraishin no Jutsu teleportation technique required of the trio to perform. The abominable name so bluntly spat out of Genma's mouth together with his signature senbon sent a shiver down his spine, as his thoughts returned to his beloved and whether the current war situation was going to make their reunion that much more tedious.

"U... Uchiha... Uchiha Madara..."

Mabui of Kumogakure felt as if the blood in her veins had suddenly curdled beyond hope when Ao's bleak announcement sent the entire managerial group at the Alliance's headquarters into a chaotic frenzy. Studying the look of concern outlined by Shikaku Nara's furrowed forehead, the Raikage's personal assistant recoiled internally at this deplorable turn of events, noting regrettably that the past minutes of conviviality that Naruto's clones had reduced the threat of the Zetsu horde had been so short-lived.

"The _Kohaku no Johei_... and the _Benihisago_... if only we still had them in our possession..."

Bemoaning the loss of the Amber Purifying Pot and the Crimson Gourd, both sacred ninja tools belonging to the legendary Sage of the Six Paths just like the _Bashosen_, Mabui's sharp mind was racing against time as she tried to piece the befuddling revelation together with the information they already possessed about the enemy forces. Just like how everyone else in the sprawling room was wondering aloud, the fact that all along they had known Kabuto's masked ally to be Madara from Konohagakure's Uchiha clan was now turning everything topsy turvy. Inoichi was still reporting the Akatsuki masked man's movements together with the six omnipotent _Edo Tensei_ Tailed Beast resurrections, adding more mystery to the mix.

"_Tenso no Jutsu_? No, I must protest, Hokage-sama! Only the Raikage's durability... his unique body... can withstand the pressure and impact!"

When her own name was so curtly brought up again by the Fifth Hokage's brash and contumelious demand that she used her heretical Heavenly Transfer technique to bring her to the battlefield, Mabui felt a chill run down her spine as the potential horrific repercussions crept to the forefront of her brain. Even as Tsunade of the exalted _Sannin_ status argued fervently that she had her own godly Creation Rebirth technique to counteract the damage that her body would be susceptible to by being transferred elsewhere at the speed of light, she exhibited much resistance to the idea. It was only when she thought of how the Fifth Hokage's kunoichi, Tenten of Konoha, had displayed the same kind of courage and tenacity in the face of adversity that Mabui's taut facial muscles softened. With a resigned nod, she exited from the confined space to get the necessary preparations in place, fear and tension mounting in the face of their adversary's own trump card.

"Madara? The Kazekage… the Tsuchikage… they're now fighting Madara Uchiha?"

The tanned and rugged countenance of the shinobi who had just spoken matched his deep baritone well; as he rose from the squatting position he had adopted while inspecting the trio of corpses lying out in the open, his two men stepped back respectfully, clearly in veneration of the intimidating presence of the tall male wearing the standard brown flak jacket. With only the right side of his face visible and adorned with two distinctive red markings while the rest of his face was being covered by his turban-like head gear and sheet hanging over his left side, Baki of Sunagakure was an imposing figure indeed.

One of his home village highest-ranking council members, Baki's expertise in military operations had been crucial in the early tidings of the Shinobi Alliance operations, with Gaara often seeking his counsel within the past few weeks. Despite that, he had opted to remain in the background while fighting as part of Division Four's troops, choosing to render his physical prowess and _ninjutsu_ abilities instead of simply advisory duties to the Kazekage. Thus, when Temari informed him that a stricken Matsuri had seen a group of _Edo Tensei_ resurrections skulk away towards the direction where Shikamaru had led his squad as reinforcements for Division One the day before, Baki had taken charge in leading his own squad in pursuit.

"Hey. The zombies are moving fast. Let's move along quickly, before they're out of my _Byakugan_'s range."

Though the two Suna sensors' frantic proclamation, the man who was scouting a few metres ahead seemed unfazed by the name of one who hailed from his own village, one thought to have been hidden behind his inscrutable mask as a villainous Akatsuki member. Though the fourth division was mostly composed of long-range fighters with _ninjutsu_ skills that could attack the enemy from afar, there was still a stringent need for shinobi with other skills.

Fuming slightly at the sight of the Konoha soldier taking off on his own without awaiting further instruction from his commander, Baki had little choice but to signal the rest of his squad to forge ahead. Though the situation seemed dire back at the sandy terrain where many of his fellow Suna soldiers were sure to be facing a cataclysmic battle, he knew that he could not simply abandon his team's mission so recklessly and return to his unit.

"Not going to stab me in the back, are you Commander Baki? Just like how you did back then with my friend in Konoha?"

Baki's voice almost caught in his throat at the contemptuous tone that Ko Hyuuga was openly taking with him in the middle of the petrous rock-filled landscape. He knew that even if Gaara's speech the previous day had unified the alliance soldiers, there could still be different types of tensions arising amongst the soldiers. The history of wars and uncountable acts of enmity between the nations would definitely not allow everyone to be mollified that easily, and the spiky-haired young man was obviously still affected at having been placed in a squad led by one who had killed his peer in his signature ruthless manner.

The battle between him and Hayate Gekkou was now dug up from the deep recesses of his mind, and Baki was hit deftly in the gut by the irony, forced to admit that his alliance with Kabuto Yakushi back then was one of the most grievous errors he had committed. Now, three years later, he was now fighting to save the world from the traitorous tyrant, and the face of the innocent brown-haired eavesdropper who had been at the wrong place at the wrong time seemed unwilling to fade from his memory. Before Hayate died as a symbol of the Suna-nin's loyalty to the partnership between Sunagakure and Otogakure, Baki had praised the younger man for his kenjutsu skills but those words did seem utterly hollow and hypocritical in his own ears now.

Thus, even though Ko's abrasive tongue towards him was tough to stomach especially when the rest of the squad members were all probably waiting to see why the Hyuuga's imbecile behaviour had not been admonished yet, Baki knew he deserved his sneers and disparagement. The only thing he was praying for at this moment was that the squad could catch up with the reincarnated versions of the Four Celestial Cymbals Men before they could inflict any more damage to the alliance troops.

"Scatter! Move out of the way, sealing team!"

Holding on to the cowering kunoichi whose turban had been blatantly loosened by the last elemental blast, blood trailing all the way to her nape, Takeshi felt his heart in his throat as he launched himself into the air, warm tears brimming over his eyelids as the cauterising shrieks of his fellow sealers losing their limbs reached his ears. Though the sealing team had been told to follow the hastily assembled squad from a distance, Takeshi and his Suna peers were now being unexpectedly attacked by an adversary who was able to manipulate wind techniques with her blades. Knowing that he needed to activate his own _Futon_ moves to retaliate, he scanned the area quickly in dismay at the sight of several bodies having been mindlessly severed in the middle of the barren terrain.

"Looks like I was right to lie in wait for the sealing team, wasn't I?" a sultry lilt sounded over the dying throes of his comrades. "I see the fight still in your eyes, handsome young lad. Perhaps I should play with you for just a little while longer."

Gritting his teeth as he glared at the female Edo who was sporting a head of turquoise green hair and wielding twin swords, Takeshi was just about to rise unsteadily to his feet when he felt a tremendous sense of relief washing his entire being at the sight of two stalwart figures landing dauntlessly a few feet in front of him.

"Tend to the injured, Ino," Tenten's voice was steeled with unflinching resolve while she unfurled her twin scrolls. "Let's see what this wind bitch can do against the _Bashosen_!"


	119. Chapter 119

**Part 11: History and Her Story (9)**

_"Stay close, Tenten. Remember the plan, and stay close."_

_Barely managing a response that was little more than a hoarse whisper of acquiescing ratification, the pubescent girl managed to gulp down the lump that had formed in her throat as she strove to keep up with the adult shinobi who all were surging ahead in hasty precipitance. It seemed as if her heart refused to stay within her chest as it pounded away with elevated momentum, as if it was slamming against her ribcage in response to the mounting sense of duress with each and every advancing step. Her fingers closed upon the scroll kept in either side of her belt holster, the physical touch temporarily stemming the trembling that was causing an awkward numbness in both hands. Expelling yet another deep exhalation, the young teen tried in vain to steel her nerves once again, the thrill and anxiety coursing through her entire body in unfettered abundance._

_Apart from Kurenai Yuhi's gentle attempt to placate her frayed and frazzled disposition, the rest of the assembly were moving in aphasiac silence under the cover of the cloudy, starless night sky. Tenten could scarcely believe the current reality that she was actually in the company of some of Konohagakure's elite shinobi, even if she had been on missions with her own mentor Guy-_sensei_, and had fought together with Uzumaki Naruto and Haruno Sakura's Kakashi-_sensei_ as well, against the rogue Watari ninja back at _Tori no Kuni_, the Land of Birds. What she could understand even less was how she, a Genin who had not made it past her first fight in the last Chunin examinations, had been specifically identified to partake in this greatly surreptitious and covert operation that was supposed to be kept under wraps from the rest of their home village._

_"You can say no, Tenten, but Kakashi is really asking for you in his missive. He says your skills will be required for this mission."_

_The memory of six pairs of eyes locking in on her caused her to shiver slightly, as she recalled how she had been unceremoniously roused from slumber the night before by a clearly galvanised and vivified _Maito Gai_, only to be presented with this completely unheralded invitation that had knocked the wind out of her. Tenten had simply nodded in muted silence in response, her hands moving to fashion her hair into her signature buns before she dove back into her room to change into her signature pink qipao-style blouse and dark green pants. Though she could barely grasp what was going on at first, she had held her tongue unless she was spoken to, spending the past day traversing across lands in a mixture of jubilation and trepidation._

_"I received Anko's message while I was at the Village of Artisans... and that's when I knew I had to activate our squad... as discussed," Kakashi Hatake had surmised as a form of greeting once he had met the group four hours south from Konoha. "It seems like the intel the ANBU retrieved for the Hokage was accurate after all and not a moment too soon actually..."_

_"You were at _Takumi no Sato_?" the deep baritone of Asuma Sarutobi interrupted Kakashi's report with evident interest in where his comrade had just hailed from. "The village where many ninja villages get their weaponry from? So there's really trouble brewing there as well just like we've feared?"_

_There was a momentary lapse that registered on Kakashi's half-veiled face but he broke into an obvious grin beneath his face mask as he finally acknowledged the presence of the young kunoichi he had instructed his peers to summon, one who was currently listening intently to the conversation, obviously piqued by the mention of a village that seemed to be somehow specialised in making ninja tools. Tenten returned the silver-haired man's greeting with a meekly tentative wave, but it was clear that he was more focused on the reason they had gathered than any further discussion about the Takumi Village. Answering Asuma's question with a firm nod but maintaining that they had to follow Pakkun and his other ninja dogs to where Anko was waiting immediately, Kakashi gave Tenten another friendly but vague look of deference before commanding his miniature pug ninken to take the lead._

_"Oh you brought her along? The weapons kid? Good call, Kakashi."_

_Though Anko Mitarashi's stance seemed as relaxed and casual as it could be while she leaned against the peeling bark of a thick trunk, Tenten knew with one look that the Tokubetsu Jounin was definitely much less jocund and coltish than she usually was, her bright and playful personality now replaced by a pair of brown eyes blazing with undisguised contempt mixed with steely determination. Apart from Tenten, all the other members of Kakashi's eight-man cell were dutifully clad in Konohagakure's standard green flak jackets, but the brash spitfire kunoichi was still wearing her tan overcoat and orange mini-skirt over her fitting body mesh suit that covered her from neck to thigh. She allowed part of her gregarious dynamism to show through slightly when she gave Tenten a quick wink, but thereafter returned to the solemn discussion with the others._

_"Yuugao and her ANBU pals are keeping a close watch... but it looks like that bitch Reiko's close to... close to unleashing her pets... her monsters from the village," Anko's eyes narrowed as her voice took a strange gruffness that was seldom heard at the mention of an entirely new name that Tenten had never heard of. "She's rigged the entire area in front of the place with countless mines, Kakashi, and even Towa and Komachi's proficiency with their tools won't be able to take them all out. I guess that's where Ko and Tenten come in handy."_

_Finally understanding her role somewhat as she turned to face the Hyuuga who had kept mostly inertly silent from the time they had left Konoha under Asuma's instruction apart from giving directional cues with his Byakugan, Tenten locked eyes with his white irises which betrayed nothing from his impassive expression. The sole Genin present had been wondering why her other teammates had not been summoned by Guy and had postulated that they needed her bukijutsu abilities as a form of support. Ko Hyuuga's inclusion had been a little more perturbing to her for the past few hours, since she almost wondered aloud why Neji had not been thrown together into the mix instead of Lady Hinata's caretaker who kept mostly to his duties under the directions of Hiashi Hyuuga. Still, it was not her place to pose such an inane query when time seemed to be of essence, a situation made more poignantly serious by her mentor's uncharacteristically sombre demeanour at the moment._

_"So... this is a good opportunity to get back at Reiko Mihayu then... and make her pay for what she's done."_

_"Couldn't have said it better myself, Hyuuga."_

_Hearing Ko's sudden assertion and Anko's curt, almost taciturn reply threw the teen kunoichi off even more, and a quick survey of the sullen nods and sense of disquietude among the adults, fortified her suspicion that this clandestine mission was much more personal than it had seemed in the beginning. Even when they caught up with the three ANBU operatives a little less than an hour after reaching Anko, the air of a roused bitter vengeance did not dissipate - in fact, the closer they got to their destination, the thicker the tension grew._

_"This is the girl who's going to make our entry into that decrepit place easier? You're kidding, right? A Genin who lost to a female Suna wind user?"_

_The snarky retort had to be accompanied by a contentious sneer, though the latter was fortunately concealed underneath the bird-like mask the male ANBU had framed over his face. Tenten's own face was burning as the blood rushed rapidly upwards to her cheeks, even though Anko had immediately chastised Towa for his unnecessarily astringent words, stating that if Kakashi had asked specifically for Team Guy's bukijutsu specialist, then he must have had his reasons. Tenten's thrill of finally coming into close contact and actually become physically involved with ANBU members on a mission took a tremendous nosedive when the dark-haired man continued claiming that he and his blonde female partner could easily have got the job done already, if not for their leader's insistence that they waited for the rest to arrive._

_"Yes, your direct commander may be Lady Tsunade, Towa, but you know as well as I do that the Hokage's put me in charge of this mission together with Kakashi and Yuugao, and this is how the plan will roll, get it? We've no time for your childishness!"_

_"That Towa's always been known to be an ass, Tenten," Kotetsu Hagane had patted his junior comrade's back kindly as soon as the team started moving ahead with the last part of their long journey. "Izumo here can't stand his arrogance a single bit. Can you imagine the ever calm and stoic Izumo actually getting into scuffles with him back in the academy? Izumo Kamizuki starting fights... unimaginable, right?"_

_The Chunin in question snorted derisively at his partner's jolly manner, though his footsteps did not wane even a single bit as he hurtled along with his comrades, his long brown fringe that usually covered his right eye blown back by the impact of the billowing wind blasting on his face. Tenten swallowed hard once more as she followed in even more subdued silence, warning herself not to let such a trivial act of condescension affect the outcome of the mission. It had been little than a paltry few months after she had lost to Sunagakure's Temari and her crafty elemental manipulations, but she knew that she had worked hard enough at building her repository to actually warrant Kakashi-sensei's trust and belief in her abilities. Somehow, though she and Neji had only played a supporting role in helping one of Konoha's most recognised Jounin defeat the burly Watari missing-nin Nagare, it seemed as if the display of her arsenal had impressed him sufficiently and that, for now, was reason enough to continue doing her best. Despite her near-death experience back when she was fighting an invisible opponent in the midst of helping Neji and Kiba fend off a meddlesome pack of mud wolves, the following adventures she had had together with Neji, Lee and even the fervently impassioned Naruto had done nothing but reinforce her strengths and capabilities. Thus, when Kurenai bade her to remain close to her and Ko as they neared the abandoned village in the middle of the dark and blustery night, she understood that her time of reckoning was near, especially when even the lissome beauteous mentor of Team 8 whispered softly for her to prove the peremptory lout Towa wrong._

_"It's... it's practically a minefield... there're... possibly dozens... perhaps close to more than a hundred mines hidden all over the area that leads to Reiko's hideout."_

_Ko's ominous warning did little to stem the team's grim determination, nor did the sight of innumerable blown up body parts and skeletal remains strewn carelessly across the land. Judging from the bits of information she had managed to gather about the mission, it was evident to Tenten that they must have belonged to victims who had probably wanted to escape from the said enemy's clutches. Emerging from the shadowed periphery of the surrounding forest, Kakashi gave a signal and the gathered shinobi immediately got into position, ready to spring into action after the first wave of their assault, cue for the youngest member of the team to take point._

_"_Soushoryuu_! _Kibaku Kunai_!"_

_The twin scrolls spun to life as they unfurled and unravelled themselves around their mistress's lean torso, the kunoichi riding the humid air currents and firing a barrage of explosive-tagged kunai from within the mystical confines of her scrolls. With her Hyuuga comrade close at hand behind and barking specific and accurate directives, Tenten was soon blowing up dozens of rigged explosives buried securely by a thin sheath of earth, a process that had to be carried out by a _Doton_ user. Though the enemy would definitely be alerted by the cacophony of the detonations rocking the ground, Kakashi's plan was to have Tenten quickly clear a path that would be safe enough for the others to launch right into Reiko's hideout anyway. By the time Tenten and Ko had forged more than a hundred metres ahead, having decimated numerous traps that would have caused grievous harm or certain death to anyone who simply charged recklessly ahead, the rest of the Konoha assemblage were close behind amidst the wafts of smoke and debris._

_"Remember, take out Reiko's men fast and hard! And anyone who has been transformed! They're beyond redemption!" Anko was now yelling, almost in vain due to the Genin's continual jarring assailment of the planted mines. "We need Ko and his _Byagukan_ to zoom in on Reiko's position before she uses her zombies to distract us and get a chance to escape us again!"_

_Keeping herself securely airborne while she discharged her projectiles for the last fifty metres before they reached the village, Tenten stifled a gasp as she caught sight of countless humanoid figures suddenly exploding forward from the rundown buildings before them. Based on what she understood, these had once been humans kidnapped and held hostage for Reiko's cravenly insidious experiments, before they were sadistically transformed into the hideously deformed zombies that were thronging out of the village. Almost at once, her targets were switched; landing neatly on her feet but not yet powering down, the teen girl was now heeding the female Tokubetsu Jounin's earlier instructions, taking down the snarling, bloodthirsty zombies teeming towards them with her arsenal._

_"_Katon: Ryuuka no Jutsu_!"_

_With the dozen cords summoned from Tenten's scrolls and the fallen zombies lining themselves up nicely as conductors, the joint effort of Kakashi and Anko's Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique was now sending turbulent flames all across the arena, spiking the level of chaos as the shinobi propelled themselves right into the burning village, appearing only as corybantic streaks leaping into the raging inferno mass. Tenten felt the adrenaline pumping harder throughout her entire being as she noticed that only Asuma and Kurenai had remained behind outside with her, the former slashing his way through using his Hien Flying Swallow chakra augmented trench knives and the latter trapping the frenzied and delirious mindless abominations with her varied genjutsu techniques that allowed Tenten to continue unleashing her fuinjutsu abilities at her frozen opponents._

_"Good job, Tenten!" the bearded Sarutobi descendent bellowed in obvious approval as he decapitated several wretched beings at once with his blades that seemed to be enhanced so densely by chakra flowing visibly from his fists, their deadly cutting prowess clearly demonstrated by the mass of bloody heads, torsos and limbs cluttering around in increasing numbers. "Without the element of surprise that you've provided us, the rest wouldn't have managed to enter this damned refuge of Reiko's so effortlessly... so quickly! She must be scrambling to flee, that's why she's sent all her experimented subjects out to stall us!"_

_Asuma's words had been meant to serve as a form of recognition and encouragement to spur her on; instead they now reminded the young Genin that that the targets she had been taking out so zealously for the past minutes were once innocent human victims who had had the grave misfortune of falling prey to a malevolent kunoichi's machinations. Stumbling back slightly as she took in the grisly carnage, Tenten took in a deep breath as the sight of the deformed fangs, ghastly white and grey complexions, gnarled and knotted hands and largely mutated bodies flooded her senses, paralysing her for few precious seconds that could have easily caused her downfall._

_"Tenten! Watch out! They're rising from the ground!"_

_Before the flustered girl could register Kurenai's equally rattled voice, a willowy figure darted right in front of her and hacked away mercilessly at the zombies that were suddenly surging from the earth. A dazed Tenten gawked momentarily at the lustrous purple hair that was flying in all directions, but the muffled voice of the female ANBU calling for her to fall back and not get in the way if she was already feeling enervated somehow triggered the teen's temporarily induced hesitation. Seeing how Yuugao Uzuki was displaying such a graceful yet deadly _kenjutsu_ style with her single katana and how there was a need now to engage in more close-ranged combat with their mindless opponents, Tenten steeled her heart and mustered her willpower as she summoned a pair of gleaming blades before leaping back into the calamitous furore. The sword-wielding duo then brandished their weapons fastidiously as they waged war upon their foes, building a credible momentum despite fighting together for the very first time._

_"You've done your part, kid! Now be smart and retreat! Leave the rest to us!"_

_The obstreperous din that had erupted from the within burning locality showed absolutely no sign of waning, as Tenten gritted her teeth at the blatantly contemptuous words spouted out of Yuugao's fellow female ANBU's mouth. While Komachi's tone was nowhere as derisive as Towa's earlier derogatory snideness, the blonde's sharp words were still meant to put her down, since she seemed to share her male partner's apparent disparagement of her abilities. Even though the Genin had obviously proven her worth in the preceding minutes, Komachi still appeared to have her doubts behind her porcelain cat-mask, one that ironically adopted a more genial look than the one worn by Yuugao. With a couple of furious slashes, she had used her own katana to take down the few mindless zombies that Tenten was about to engage, thereafter flinging herself backwards into the air and sending a continuous cannonade of ornamental needles that seemed to have mystically multiplied by the dozens from the six that had held the kunoichi's dirty blonde locks. The banally puerile need to retaliate emerged from within, and Tenten was just about to show Komachi up with her own arsenal of projectiles, when Yuugao's inclemently monotonous voice pulled her back._

_"When using dual blades, pay attention to 'the Gate', even if you're not dueling with another swordsman! Timing is essential, especially since your twin swords have the ability to alternate and complement their trajectories, and thus provide a strong continuous flowing barricade, as well as trapping and striking repetitions! Since you have chosen to use twin swords, make sure you use them correctly! Stop getting distracted by what others are saying and get back into the game if you mean to continue fighting!"_

_Eyes shining in awestruck wonder at the unexpectedly fortuitous lesson, the ANBU kunoichi's words replaying in her mind as they triggered a vivid memory of several scrolls on _kenjutsu_ she had keenly studied over the years, Tenten swerved sharply as she thrust the katana in her right hand straight into a zombie's torso while parrying another's flailing conniptions. As if Yuugao's words had magically implanted themselves into the young Genin's adrenal cortex, she was suddenly paying that much more attention to her footwork and swordplay, the fluidity and grace coming more effortlessly than before as she followed the female ANBU duo in slicing and dicing the wretched souls in rapid succession._

_"Seems like you've got yourself a worthy apprentice here, Yuugao."_

_The male ANBU who had caused Tenten some grief earlier with his undisguised cynicism about her inclusion was now adopting a much mellower tone, his deep baritone no longer tinged with irascibility and contempt. The kunoichi lowered her blades once the dark-haired, unruly ponytailed man landed a few metres in front of her, observing how the tattoo above his right bicep was glowing a crimson red as it channelled his chakra to his forearm, creating a glowing drill-like appendage from his fist. Towa tilted his bird-mask toward Tenten for a few seconds, and though the latter could not decipher his expression underneath, the firm nod of acknowledgment and thumbs-up he was gesturing with his left hand just before he followed his partner's Komachi assault tactics were enough to pacify the panting Genin greatly._

_Gulping in large intakes of air while she marveled at how facile and cursive the three ANBU warriors' flowed with one another's moves, Team Guy's kunoichi felt an odd thrill surge from within as she returned to the fray after the momentary breather. This mission was proving more essential than ever, since it was the first time ever that she was engaged in such a ferocious flurry of _kenjutsu_ action together with others who were so well-versed in the art form. Gripped by a expeditious sense of gratitude as she continued parrying and thrusting forward with her swords, analysing at the same time how their enemy numbers were dwindling due to their concerted efforts, Tenten knew that she had found a new kunoichi as a role model, and a new ambition to work towards._

_"Asuma! Look! Anko... she's got her! She's got Reiko!"_

_Tenten turned sharply with Kurenai's unexpectedly loud proclamation, her shimmering eyes greeted by the victorious sight of the well-known brash and fiery Tokubetsu Jounin lifting a decapitated head high up in the air with her left hand, the other still appearing to have multiple slimy snakes emerging from her sleeve, clearly having been extensively utilising her _Sen'eijashu_ Hidden Shadow Snake Hands _ninjutsu_. What made the young teen gape in slight bewilderment was not seeing Anko clutching the head tightly by its matted dark brown hair; rather, what caused her to emit an almost inaudible gasp was how, scattered across the arena but still physically close enough for her to notice, every member of Kakashi's assembled squad was down on one knee with his or her head bowed in deference._

_"We've finally avenged your husband's death, Sumi-_chan_... we've finally avenged Mashito-_sensei's_ death..."_

_With Kurenai kneeling on the ground just a short distance away, Asuma's arms wrapped protectively around her, her words travelled to Tenten's ears easily. Sensing that even the Yuugao and her ANBU mates behind her were performing the same action, the Genin followed suit dutifully, her senses still alert and prickling in case more zombies came tumbling forward out of the village. The mention of the name 'Sumi' roused the image of the maternally inclined grey-haired lady proprietor of the orphanage where she was raised, as well as the memory of the Hyuuga man in the framed photograph that many of her peers were accustomed to paying their respects to every morning. All at once, it became apparent again that the team's hunt for this Reiko Mihayu must have been a personal vendetta for her Konoha seniors for many years, and the night's success had been a long time coming - the fact that Izumo, Anko and Ko had tears streaming freely down their ashen cheeks signified just how much emotional turmoil they had to have gone through all this time._

_"Reiko Mihayu... she was one of Orochimaru's secret henchmen, one whom Anko treated like a sister."_

_It was the wee hours of the morning when Tenten finally received some answers from Kurenai. After clearing the village and rescuing petrified prisoners from Reiko's hidden underground labs, Konogakure's fighters were now leading them to safety, leaving the entire village blazing in their wake. With some bringing the cowering victims back to the nearest village where some of them lived, the Genin was now stationed right outside the gates with Kurenai and the others, taking care of the remaining dozens of displaced people while distributing some much-needed nourishment to them._

_"Reiko... was raised by Mashito-_sensei_ since she was rescued and placed at the orphanage, but she was also the one who killed him under Orochimaru's orders."_

_Nodding slowly as Team 8's mentor basked in the memories that finally seemed to have attained some form of closure, Tenten found herself lost in the older woman's reverie as her soothing voice filtered into her ears. Having chosen to estrange himself from the Hyuuga clan in order to do more benevolent deeds for the unfortunate, Mashito-sensei had touched the lives of numerous orphaned children, including many of those in the squad. Reiko's betrayal had come out of the blue, once Orochimaru decided that the Hyuuga had thwarted his plans one time too many and Ko had thus lost his beloved uncle as a result, while Kurenai's distant cousin Sumi became a widow due to the Sannin's machinations._

_"Thanks to you, Tenten, we are finally able to succeed in our pursuit of this treacherous traitor," Kakashi drawled as he pulled his arms upward into a long stretch and sitting up, having propped himself against a tree trunk. "She's escaped us too many times with her _Doton_ abilities and crafty traps, but this time... tonight... we finally got her. Your Guy-sensei... after his father Dai... died... got killed... he found much solace in Mashito-_sensei's_ wise words and genuine affections, so... know that this means a lot to him too."_

_The revelation startled Tenten a little, for this was the first time she had ever heard of anything in relation to her mentor's past. She turned her head and gazed at the man clad in his signature green leotard; with his infectious nature and crazy antics, he was entertaining the young children Reiko had bestially robbed from their homes and parents for her dastardly experimentations. As she watched the obvious joy ignited on the children's enraptured faces while Guy performed a series of swift backflips and walked on his hands, Tenten felt a lump forming in her throat, realising that even someone who appeared as carefree and gregarious as her mentor could have skeletons in his closet as well._

_"What? They... they're on a mission together again?! Without me?!"_

_Even though within the next hour, her heart ached to return to where the rest of her friends were after one of Kakashi's _ninken_ reported that Naruto and the others had undertaken yet another large-scale joint mission with Sunagakure's Gaara and his siblings in relation to the odd happenings at the Takumi Village as mentioned earlier by Asuma and Kakashi, Tenten had to force herself to get over the stupendous angst and unbelievable frustrations threatening to explode from within. Returning Reiko's surviving victims to their homes was of utmost importance and based on the late kunoichi's remaining minions in the village, there were still a few areas within the vicinity that used to be Reiko's cells. She could only blame it on bad timing since she understood how vital her role had been in helping her seniors settle their long-running feud with Reiko, and it would take at least a few more days for everything else to be settled before they made their way home. Still, she could not help bemoaning this abhorrent coincidence when Kotetsu snickered and teased her about how absolutely flushed her cheeks had become as they continued with their journey._

_"What darn luck! If only it was just a few days later! I'd really want to fight this group who wields such unorthodox ninja tools!"_


	120. Chapter 120

**Part 11: History and Her Story (10)**

"Tenten should be here with us! Where the hell is she?"

Without being allowed to wait for any reply from the Nara teen he was bellowing at, the obviously frazzled male Chunin from Konohagakure vaulted frantically over his partner's strategically bent over torso before releasing the favoured ninja tool of his choice. The enlarged Kunai Blade sliced swiftly through the highly charged atmosphere, its anxiously hurried propulsion barely gathering adequate momentum to meet its deviously snake-like opponent. In the split second that followed, his dark-haired comrade was following suit, ejecting his own gigantic blade along the same trajectory to meet their smirking foe's pliantly tactile and extensible ninja tool in a clangorous clash. The highly adaptable sword, its multiple sharpened blades emitting a deceptively warm blue glow that belied a trenchant potency that threatened to surge past its metallic threshold, seemed to be acting on its own volition as it thrashed its way around the Konoha duo's manipulations, effortlessly parrying the ineffectual blows into submission and rendering them haplessly defeated within mere moments.

"_Gariantou_... Ryuugan's Garian Sword... somehow it's got even more powerful than before after his resurrection."

Shikamaru's gaze burned in its dark intensity as he sought to get a better scan of the battlefield, the wheels in his sharp mind once again turning furiously as they fought to present the shrewd strategist with a solution for his squad's current predicament. Locked in an equally fanatically fervent fight nearby were Kurotsuchi, C, Tsume and Kuromaru as the quartet fended off the ferocious flames from yet another mythical blade wielded by its zombie owner. Across the horizon, his best friend's stupendous form slammed itself against a jagged cliff and brought it crumbling down, but even from such a credible distance, the Nara clan descendent could sense that Chouji's chakra wings were dissipating with alarming alacrity, confirming that the revived Edo that the Akimichi was engaged in battle with together with Hiashi had also retained his fearsome chakra absorption abilities.

"Ryuugan with the Garian Sword, Hoki and his fire sword, Suiko with his Infinite Armour... all resurrected by Kabuto," Shikamaru muttered, his brain juices striving to keep active and flowing. "The two missing are Seimei and that Kukaju with her _Fujaku_ _Hishou Shouken_... Damn it... She must have stayed behind to lay a trap for Takeshi and the Sealing Team... if Tenten and Ino are not here yet, it means they must have stayed behind to aid them."

Cursing under his breath for not having thought of the possibility of a potential ambush in the haste to assemble yet another team to handle their newly arrived comminatory maledictions, the Shinobi Alliance Fourth Division's renowned proxy general turned a quick back somersault to avoid one of the _Gariantou's_ particularly long-ranged chakra assaults, his thoughts brought back to the time several years ago when he and his peers had collaborated with Gaara and his siblings to foil the treacherous plans of this malicious group that hailed from the now desecrated Takumi Village.

With Izumo's bellicose cry of where Tenten was, Shikamaru recalled how, back then, both Neji and Ino had stated quite explicitly that the Team Guy kunoichi should have been present to handle their enemy with her expertise in ninja tools, and how superbly infuriated the plucky _bukijutsu_ expert had been upon her return from an even more high-octane adventure with many of the Konoha adult shinobi, unreasonably delivering a Dynamic Entry kick to poor Lee in her asperity even though she had seemed satisfactorily euphoric about her own highly prolific time with the likes of Tokubetu Jounin Anko Mitarashi, ANBU kunoichi Yuugao Uzuki and even his own deceased sensei Asuma Sarutobi. Failing to activate his shadowy _Kage Nui_ jutsus to successfully beguile the insolently imperious and audaciously autocratic child-like Ryuugan, Shikamaru tried in vain to establish a mind link with his Yamanaka teammate, wishing profusely that both the girls were safe and sound, and at the same time, hoping that Tenten would be able to get there in time with the Bashosen.

"You've got to help Tenten! Leave us and go help her, quickly!"

Ino Yamanaka squeezed her eyes tightly shut as yet another blustery blast blew its way straight past the boulder that was their current refuge, her trembling palms still maintaining their mystical glow as they pulsed rhythmically directly above the gaping wound in the abdomen of the Sunagakure kunoichi she was administering the Mystical Palm technique to. The vexatious voice echoing in her ears was preventing her from establishing a concrete mind link with Naruto, and the tempestuous elemental furore that was escalating around her and her charges was causing her to lose focus as well.

"_Kaze no Yaiba_!"

The male Suna hovering close by was releasing more slashing strikes from his hands, pinpointing those rapacious Blades of Wind to mutilate the excavated pieces of rock that were threatening to crush them from above, having been sent hurtling in their direction by the resurrected green-haired _Edo_ kunoichi. Takeshi's retaliatory wind gusts were acting like almost invisible longsword projectiles, lacerating the air-borne ground debris as they were thrown in rapid succession one after the other. As he barked at the female medical-nin for the umpteenth time to aid her friend with her _Shintensen_ techniques, the Suna Chunin felt a dull ache penetrate through his heart as the Yamanaka teen's harsh rebuttal entered his ears amidst the surrounding tumultuous storm.

"I can't believe you're telling me not to heal your teammates! Are their lives that insignificant to you? Are you that scared of getting killed by that wind bitch yourself? Instead of staying here and distracting me from my tasks, why aren't you out there helping Tenten instead? Are you that scared to die?"

Apart from the elemental machinations howling in the war torn vicinity, there was relative silence between the duo for a few moments, the abrupt tension that had surfaced so cruelly lingering in the already overwrought and nerve-racking atmosphere that had gripped the area ever since Takeshi and his Sealing Team peers had been viciously attacked by Kukaju and her malignantly internecine Weaklessness Soaring Shortswords. Though Tenten and Ino's timely arrival had indeed reduced the number of casualties greatly, the former was having trouble pinning down the _Edo_ even with the legendary Bashosen at her disposal, since the sly Kukaju knew that her opponent would be distracted by and be concerned with the presence of her fellow comrades in the area, and would inevitably be battling second thoughts of unleashing the full destructive potential of the power brimming within the delicate frond.

"The girl you're healing right now... whom you... whom you've been trying to revive for the past few minutes... she's Taki, my cousin. If she ends up dying here, I'll never be able to forgive myself, for failing to protect her earlier... from not being alert enough to keep her and the other sealing team members safe."

Ino felt her pounding heart give a sudden lurch as her frenzied mind registered Takeshi's firm baritone, immediately feeling the agony rising from a voice tinged with starkly discernible remorse and sorrow. The vehemently defiant glare that she had shot him earlier at once seemed exceptionally rancorous, the stridulant words she had offered callously bestial. The Yamanaka blonde gazed at the half-opened mouth of the kunoichi under her care, wishing for her patient to quickly expel a puff of air from those pink, parched lips , so that she knew that she could definitely be saved, and the immense guilt she was currently overwhelmed with could be abated a little.

"My Uncle Baki... He's always had high hopes for his daughters as kunoichi," Takeshi was actually wearing a whimsical smile as he continued keeping a vigilant watch for more of Kukaju's sonorous assaults, the wind blades clearly activated over his clenched fists. "Unfortunately, both Maki and Taki... never showed an affinity with _Futon_ abilities, and thus... thus, he devoted more time to able wind manipulators in our village, like the Kazekage's sister Temari... like... like me, his nephew. Even so, Maki and Taki continued working hard, and the three of us perfected several techniques with our _Nunoshibaru no Jutsu_, to become members of Sunagakure's Sealing Team."

"Why... why did you not get me to perform _Shousen Jutsu_ on her... on Taki earlier?" Ino found herself stammering, her voice barely an audible whisper. "If... if she's your cousin, why... why did you let me save the others first... instead of her?"

The pair went back to the reticent silence they had maintained minutes ago, as they took a glance at their surroundings and the brown flak-jacketed Suna soldiers encircling them. Some were lifeless corpses, others had amputated limbs and torn torsos, and the remaining were groggily holding on to their cloth bales, still visibly overcome by the terror that was Kukaju.

"Because Taki... when I found her earlier... she told me she knew she was not going to make it," Takeshi Shiro's voice finally broke, as Ino caught sight of the tears streaming down his tanned, taut cheeks. "Even before you and Tenten reached us, my dear cousin... she... she knew. All along, we sealing team members know... that our lives will indubitably be the first ones targeted by Kabuto's _Edo Tensei_ reincarnations... and... and we've had no choice but to accept that fact."

Guilt gnawing mercilessly at her nerve endings, Ino turned to look at the girl lying motionlessly in front of her, the two purple markings on her cheeks strangely distinct and placating. Swallowing hard, she finally understood Takeshi's implicit act of nobility; by Ino spending time on attempting to heal those who could not be saved and not providing essential assistance to her friend to subdue the demoness instead, she was actually putting those present and the entire division at risk. It was also painfully evident just by observation that Ino's medical _ninjutsu_ was just not advanced enough to jostle any form of miracle for the dying youth, and it was with this realisation that she finally, regrettably, withdrew her prowess. Just before she was about to heed the young Suna's words and charge straight ahead to join in the explosive battle, the single word "Reinforcements!" that was exclaimed by one of the Suna survivors jolted the sense of hope within, and Ino leapt forward together with Takeshi in ecstatic jubilation.

"_Hakke Kuuhekishou_!"

Tenten almost took a precarious stumble when the green flak-jacketed figure raced past her and released two high-speed palm thrusts; using his _Byakugan_ and _Jyuuken_ abilities concurrently, the vacuum shells he produced took the form of powerful wind strikes that now blew up tremendous bits of the ground in the wake of the fleeing _Edo_ kunoichi. Not missing a beat despite Ko Hyuuga's totally unexpected appearance that had literally come out of nowhere, Tenten summoned a dozen _Katon_-imbued Fuma Shuriken from her right scroll and sent the burning blades spinning inexorably at the hastily retreating female zombie.

"Takeshi! Together now, as we've trained!"

With the ripped and battered battleground suddenly losing its earlier elemental devastations, the assemblage that Ko had arrived with was splitting up into a smaller number of sub-groups as ordered by their commander and dauntlessly taking turns to corner the strangely muted Kukaju. Noticing Takeshi's expeditiously fleeting signal, Tenten caught a glimpse of the team's prominent leader who had just taken to riding the air currents, and, shouting Ino's name as she did the same, summoned dozens of kunai imbued with wind power.

"_Danma Zan Rouken_!"

Her attempts to escape foiled by the scattered members of Baki's squad, Kukaju soon found herself unable to evade Ino's _Shintensen no Jutsu_ launched from a short distance behind her flailing form - Ko had managed to score a direct hit with his second Eight Trigrams Vacuum Wall Palm irruption, the cogent wave of chakra causing her to fly backwards right into the Yamanaka's mortifying Mind Body Switch technique. Entrapped for a few moments, the _Edo_ kunoichi next fell victim to the Blades of Vanquishment move executed by the reunited uncle-and-nephew pair, followed by Tenten's Futon kunai. From a few metres aboveground, Baki and Takeshi were now taking a nosedive and rendering the _Edo_ form jerking in uncontrollable spasms with a multitude of wind blades cutting into her body. The barrage of expeditious kunai blades from Tenten's scroll too did its job, piercing deeply and pinning Kukaju's inert form into the ground.

"Tenten! Her swords! Seal them away quickly!"

Having battled the Four Celestial Symbols Men before, Ino was sufficiently spry to spring forward nimbly together with two sprightly Suna shinobi who were apparently rejuvenated by the unexpectedly swift defeat of one who had just recently caused them significant losses with her ability to wield those unorthodox twin blades. Knowing not to question her friend's urgent imperative, Tenten was just about to collect the fallen blades when they both mysteriously rose into the air, as if controlled by telekinesis, and flew away at such an accelerated rate that even the keenest observer could barely grasp this unheralded turn of events.

"Damn it! The other _Edos_ must have somehow summoned those swords! Ino, we must hurry and..."

Caught off-guard by a poignant scene that begged for compassion and clemency, Tenten stopped short with her approach, eyes softening as she witnessed a father cradle the head and upper body of his daughter's still warm body. Takeshi was kneeling next to the previously stoic militant from Sunagakure, giving in to his grief as he now mourned piteously over his younger cousin's demise.

Ko sauntered towards Tenten, his face unreadable as he signalled for her to follow suit, his voice deep yet emotionless as he espoused for the need to provide backup for Shikamaru and the others still embroiled in battle. Her insides churned slightly at the Hyuuga's supposed cold nonchalance, but the memory of her very recent exchange with newfound long-lost relatives and long-hidden truths shrouded with blatant lies somehow seemed to harden her resolve as well. Wordlessly, Tenten picked up her pace in pursuit of her fellow Konoha comrade, ignoring the anguish and bereavement that was soon fading out of viewing and hearing range, but unfortunately, not out of mind as well.


	121. Chapter 121

**Part 11: History and Her Story (11)**

"Chouji! He's still siphoning chakra from you! You need to power down or you'll end up feeding him with more of your chakra!"

The Hyuuga leader's clamant insistence registered sharply in the Akimichi youth's consciousness once again, and this time he had no choice but to heed those exigently impelling words. The reincarnated Takumi Village fighter had indeed been ingurgitating his massive chakra reserves from his triggered _Karori_ _Kontorouru_ form, his butterfly chakra-wings clearly becoming more vapid and debilitated as soon as he had engaged Suiko in battle. Even Hiashi seemed to holding back considerably, the _taijutsu_ master's moves much more calculated and less pugnacious than when he was fighting Hiruko earlier in the day.

"Come at me, Konoha curs! I'm going to show that imbecile Kabuto that we're worth more than just rescue missions of other _Edo Tensei_ resurrections who couldn't even keep themselves safe from harm!"

The haughty zombie was obviously taking his opponents' hesitance in his stride, gleefully rampaging his way through with his weighty mace, swinging it wantonly at the subdued Konohagakure duo as he allowed the _Mugen Kougai_ Infinite Armour over his upper body to do its work. The unique armoured breast plate, fashioned into the shape of a tiger's face, offered a delusory veneer, as if it was simply a decorative adornment of an elaborate battle outfit. With its parlous abilities to drain one's chakra at an expedited rate, and additionally serve as a replenishment of the owner's reserves as well as a revitalisation device, it was no wonder that Suiko appeared superbly intrepid and presumptuous despite having to face two warriors well-versed in their clans' taijutsu techniques. The broadly built man was seemingly delirious at his own resurrection as he charged at his assailants with wild abandon, ignoring the fact that the reason he was back in this abominable form was simply because he had perished partly due to his own arrogance and overly staunch beliefs in his armour's exalted defence properties and invulnerability.

"The last time... it was Gaara and his _Shukaku no Hoko_... the Spear of Shukaku that managed to penetrate that armour," Chouji reminisced over the memory of a particularly lengthy debrief session in his Genin days, his attention divided between his thoughts and his current role as a support to Hiashi's tireless tactics. "The halberd of hardened sand was what felled Suiko... but now... now we need... we need Tenten and her Bashosen..."

Biting his lower lip, the Konoha youth mumbled an incoherent execration as he watched the two long-haired men enveloped in their cutthroat skirmish, the ever fleet-footed and dexterous _Jyuuken_ expert dancing around elegantly against the burly bearded barbarian's surprisingly adroit moves with his dark blue pauldrons and mace, his deft swings and thrusts filled with vicious intent and malice. It was not too long back, just a day ago in fact, when Chouji's own capabilities had been vastly augmented when he had extraordinarily, mysteriously broken down his inhibitory barriers; with his current ability to execute the Akimichis' Calorie Control techniques without the actual need for the quintessential Three Coloured Pills, a feat that had even astounded his father since it was almost unheard of in the history of the clan, the brown-maned Chunin had certainly surpassed all expectations while overcoming his own psycholgoical sublimations and regaining a great boost of confidence at the same time.

Having proven instrumental in tackling the various havoc demolitions that had been plaguing the north-western coasts of the Land of Lightning, facing harrowing and perilous adversaries in the reincarnated forms of Kinkaku, Kakuzu, Hyuuga Hizashi, his old enemy Jirobo and the rest of the Sound Four, and even the Gedo Mazou Demonic Statue of the Outer Path stomping the depredated wastelands, Chouji was now slightly grated that his current foe was proving this operose and galling to repress, his nerves nettled by the fact that his recent enervation in power seemed like a bane instead in front of this chakra-absorbing _Edo_. The memory of him chastising Ino earlier in the morning for her sounding accusatory about him letting Tenten scurry off on her own made him slightly remorseful, for he could now empathise how frustrating it was for one to be caught between a rock and hard place.

"Chouji! Shikamaru! We are on our way and we have reinforcements from Division Four as well! But stay alert! You may have a new Celestial Symbol _Edo_ coming your way with Kukaju's blades!"

Ino's psychic transmission came out of the blue, just as the Team 10 powerhouse was about to act on his own aggrieved emotions and bulldoze his way towards the infuriatingly supercilious Suiko, ready to even disregard his formidable ninja tool that had been magically enhanced with such unpropitiously cataclysmal properties. As if the Yamanaka blonde could really read his thoughts from afar, she had sent this short message in the nick of time and prevented Chouji from making the rash decision of pouncing on Suiko directly once again and presenting him with his own insurmountable chakra reserves for him to devour. Peering ahead, he could sense that his Nara buddy had taken Ino's words into consideration as well, for he was currently barking orders for the Alliance soldiers hanging back to keep vigilant.

"_Senmoufu_!"

Before he could make a single utterance, the brawny and newly svelte Akimichi teen was already witnessing several members of the squad flailing helplessly, blown back by the Rotating Ferocious Wind technique that had seemingly breathed itself into life, the wind gusts spiralling out of nowhere right into the heart of the assemblage and flinging the soldiers off their sandaled feet. Chouji raised his beady eyes to find a strikingly familiar figure floating ethereally in mid-air, his immaculately white outfit matching his grey and wizened pallor perfectly. True to Ino's exhortations just seconds ago, the Weaklessness Soaring Shortswords that had been in Kukaju's posession were now in the firm grasp of a new owner, and he was the one who had sent the Alliance soldiers sprawling across the land with their immense elemental prowess.

"Seimei... the founder of the Takumi Village!" Chouji blurted out loud at the flagrant manifestation of yet another antagonist, one whose aloof and bizarre appearance was drawing much attention from the combatants, even among the three _Edos_ who seemed as stupefied and incredulous at the sight of their revived master. "Kabuto... he's managed to resurrect him as well!"

Chouji managed to sneak a cursory glance at Hiashi, who responded with an urgent nod before he spun boisterously away from a pauldroned fist wrestling a mighty spiked mace; even with no words exchanged between the two, the Konoha teen knew instantaneously that he was given permission to veer from their incessant battle with Suiko, and for that one fleeting moment, he felt a compunctious sense of relief as he felt the chakra fusillade from his broad back, bursting forth from invisible fissures at his shoulder blades in the form of fraudulently delicate butterfly wings. Yet, as the strapping lad rocketed into the air, he felt an erratic tingle rise up his spine, a sensation that was absent even when he was battling Suiko and his accursed Infinite Armour. Chouji grimaced slightly at this, recognising that even his instincts seemed to have innately aroused a precautionary warning to be on his guard, though he doggedly continued soaring towards his inscrutably obscure air-borne target.

"That… that attack… it came from someone new!"

The young male blonde twisted sprightly out of his somersault, landing deftly in a crouching position, remaining ever alert for the need to take off into the choking air again. His throat was utterly parched, disabling him from uttering a worded response to the Iwagakure kunoichi's blatant announcement. Wiping the sheen off perspiration off his forehead, he felt as if he was embraced by a lasting fever that did not seem to be capable of abating, his whole body cocooned in an invisible coat of prickling heat that seemed to be zealously evaporating all moisture from his body. C was not even certain why he bothered to attempt a swallow when it was evident that there was hardly any moisture available in his mouth to provide a smidgen of relief.

The hellish flames that were enveloping this portion of the wrecked landscape were proving too much to bear; the Kumogakure sensor had already noticed how several of the squad-mates that Shikamaru had gathered for this unceremoniously precipitous umbrage were keeping a safe distance away from every one of the three focal points. Even a robust Jounin as tenacious as himself had had the urge to adopt a temporary retreat at several junctures in the past fifteen minutes, signifying just how conflagrant and blistering the atmosphere was. With their snarky _Edo_ opponent brandishing his bladed weaponry with such proficiency and dexterity, there was little opportunity for them to get close enough to engage him in melee combat, the massive amount of ferocious flames fired furiously from his dark blade having already incinerated a fair number of shinobi. If not for Kurotsuchi and some others capable of countering Hoki's fiery attacks with their _Suiton_ techniques, their losses would definitely have been more dire.

"The fire guy, the one we're fighting! He's the one who summoned those blades that new attacker is wielding, with that bedeviled sword of his!" Kuromaru yelped, his voice gruff and urgent as he maneuvered out of harm's way.

"And those swords are as bad as this creep's!" spat Kurotsuchi after expelling more water spouts from her mouth in retaliation to a stream of burning flames rolling her way. "Those wind techniques... Damn it, I feel as if we're back at the beaches and being attacked by Kakuzu's elemental masks all over again!"

"We need Tenten here, that's for sure," Tsume growled in response, leaping onto her ninken's furry back. "She'd better make her way here soon, with the Bashosen! It looks like even our Chouji's having difficulty dealing with that wind conjurer!"

At the mention of the name of the Konoha kunoichi, C and Kurotsuchi exchanged a brief, sombre look, both gripped by an odd tension that was particularly unnecessary in this state of emergency. Witnessing how, from afar, the previously rotund Akimichi youth was facilely sent plummeting to the ground with two sturdy swings of those elemental blades, they both knew that the presence of their fan-wielding comrade was invariably critical, especially when both _Edo Tensei_ allies could easily unify their prowess anytime and escalate the destruction to even more devastating levels.

"Tenten's barely eighteen, and with everything she's gone through the past day... well, the past couple of years even... ever since she was born actually... you can't blame her for acting this way, you know. Imagine how you'd feel, if you found out your life's been a lie all this while."

Though Tsume's canine partner had not meant to castigate them, the duo felt as if they had been flogged by a ferrule with his eruditely judicious words, the deep empathy present in his benignant tone arousing a sharp sense of shame that found its way to their already flushed cheeks. Watching the Inuzuka woman charge towards Hoki once again on her feral steed with a disgruntled sneer, C recognised that Kuromaru was right to a very great extent, since he could still feel his heart acutely aching from the very recent return of his forgotten childhood memories that unveiled just how inexorably brutal he had treated his own kin for years, before Yugito Nii was so perniciously sacrificed for the Akatsuki's depraved belligerence. What right did he have, to act in such a cavalier manner, when he could scarcely grasp how his own life had turned out?

"No time for this now, C," Kurotsuchi's voice broke his momentary reverie, its slight tremble replaced by its signature steely tone a second later. "We need to fight, and hold these bastards back as long as we can, until Tenten arrives."

"Why... why do you have this much faith in her? You... you barely know... her."

Genuinely stumped by the male sensor's hesitant query for a split second, the Iwa Jounin arched her eyebrows slightly before returning them to the position of forming a quizzical frown. Just as she bounded forward to provide more salient assistance to Tsume and Kuromaru, she left C staring blankly at the festering sequence in front of him with a bluntly simple quip, "After all we've been through today at the medical compound and with Hiruko, why don't you?"

Stifling a gasp as he managed a throwaway glance at the sight of his best friend spiralling towards the ravaged ground, Shikamaru cleared his throat when Chouji managed to glide his stricken form unsteadily out of a potentially injurious impact at the last minute, his chakra wings flapping furiously in retaliatory response. The Nara teen had just sent another two explosive-tagged kunai whizzing at Ryuugan, allowing Kotetsu and Izumo another valiant but fecklessly nugatory attempt to cut the precocious child-demon down. His dark irises darted back and forth at the Garian Sword's impeccably swift contortions as the Edo, with a perpetual sneer etched on his ashen face, engaged his two Konoha _senpai_ in another tiresome round of melee combat. Having just broken off his mind-link with Ino, he knew that aid was going to arrive shortly, but he was still slightly perturbed by his Yamanaka teammate's report that Naruto's clone was no longer present at the Division One battlegrounds.

"Damn it... if I'd allowed the clone to come with us earlier, we might have been able to handle these pests by now... Seems as if something's big going on where the real Naruto's at and we may need to get ready to provide support instead of being stuck here battling endlessly with Kabuto's minions!"

While he was not yet going hysterical in his mind, Shikamaru could not help but feel that the immense tensions he had had to bear the past day hardly had the opportunity to ebb for more than a momentary lapse at any one time. The fact that he had told Takeshi to get more members of the Sealing Team to follow their trail, without anticipating that one of the _Edos_ would have stayed behind to plan an ambush, was righteously gnawing at his nerves and causing his head to throb with a pulsating sense of dread. Ino's tersely compendious message had not revealed much, and even if he knew back up was on its way, he remained clueless just how long they would take to get to their site. With Seimei's abrupt but not totally unforeseen appearance, the tenacious teen tactician felt as if he was being thrown totally off course once again, in part due to the reviled weaponry master's current possession of Kukaju's wind-summoning swords.

"Hoki's the one who summoned Kukaju's blades as she was being sealed back where Ino and the others fought her," Shikamaru continued analysing the situation in his head, his signature smirk having been replaced by a glowering grimace. "Somehow, they must have been telepathically linked as well for that to happen... for him to have known his teammate's impending demise. It's as if... as if Seimei was hiding himself ... keeping himself away from our radar until one of his followers got sealed, so that he could take over his or her ninja tools."

Guesstimating that that meant Kabuto could somehow only resurrect weapons that his _Edo Tensei_ summons had used just before they perished in one way or another, the Chunin's mind registered the memory of how Seimei had actually combined the Four Celestial Symbols Men's weapons together and used them concurrently to wreck havoc for him and his Konoha cum Suna peers a few years back. The image of Temari's face disoriented the youth slightly, considering how he had taken down two particularly formidable female warriors together with her - Kukaju with her Weaklessness Soaring Shortswords and the flute-playing _genjutsu_ expert Tayuya of the Sound Four, part of yet another immortalised quartet reincarnated by Kabuto that he and his friends had just clashed with as well. Considering that the fan-wielding Sunagakure wind goddess was herself an exceptionally shrewd and menacing opponent with her own _Kyodu Sensu_, the fact that those two kunoichi had proven to be so difficult to subdue when they were alive highlighted just what dangerous foes they had been, and how precariously pivotal it was for Seimei to be taken down soon before he could utilise all four of the Celestial tools together. Without the presence of Gaara and his sand prowess, which was what had ultimately defeated Seimei in the end back then, Shikamaru was naturally overwrought with distress that they would be able to subjugate him a second time.

"Never saw you as such a worrywart, Shikamaru! Get your head back in the game and stop over-analysing things now!"

The figure blitzing past him did not only rile the senses of the stunned Nara, for even as Shikamaru made out who he was, he had already performed a few moves so swiftly that one would hardly be able to keep up with the eccentrically alacritous sight before him. The fleet-footed entrant took a mere five seconds to activate and dispel his Kaiten, shrouding his pals Kotetsu and Izumo from the Garian Sword's persistently marauding blades that were out for blood, before he leapt at a genuinely startled Ryuugan. The young _Edo_ was so flummoxed by Ko Hyuuga's sudden assault that he had little time to defend himself, and, with scarcely sufficient time to draw a breath into his deathly form, was forcibly thrown off his feet by the concussive palm thrusts that connected successively one after the other in an impossibly rapid rate.

"_Shintensen no Jutsu_!"

Seeing that Ko had gained the upper hand over the blue-haired Edo Tensei runt almost immediately after his interference, and that Tenten's fiery Fuma Shurikens were already clashing discordantly with Seimei's wind slashes, Yamanaka Ino's heightened senses were thus diverted to Hiashi Hyuuga and his towering bearded foe. Instinctively locking on to the zombie that the Hyuuga clan head was fighting alone, the Chunin transferred her consciousness into her target once again with her Mind Body Switch Technique. Her clan's signature _ninjutsu_ was allowing her to send her mind as spiritual energy into her target's mind and supplanting his mind with her own. Ever since she had arrived at the coastal areas to aid in extinguishing Kinkaku the day before, she had been executing her clan's unorthodox moves to the best of her abilities, surpassing each and every expectation she had placed on her young shoulders at the onset of the war. Each time she succeeded in establishing the iconoclastic _Shintensen_ technique just that split second faster or that one metre further, she found her self-confidence rising and courage mounting, knowing that she was indeed making her father proud of her myriad contributions to the outcomes of the battles thus far.

Thus, the blonde sensor unimpeachably felt a heartrending jolt shoot up her spine when the consciousness of whom she had supposedly taken over addressed her in a chilling chortle, the distinctive menace in his scornful voice evident from the very breath he took right before addressing her.

"Ahhhh, Yamanaka Ino, daughter of Inoichi. I've been awaiting your arrival and for you to pull this particular stunt for a while now. Welcome, welcome. Welcome to your death."


	122. Chapter 122

**Part 11: History and Her Story (12)**

"Ino... Ino's in trouble!"

Nara Shikaku was jerked out of the forty winks he was trying to take by his friend's corybantic cry; the obvious distress in Yamanaka Inoichi's voice stirred up yet another unsettling pang from the pit of his stomach, one that seemed to have been aroused way too often in the past twenty-four hours. The strangled exclamation of his daughter's name was accompanied by moisture trickling down the left side of the man's ashen face, prompting the current leader of the Shinobi Alliance Headquarters to rise from his seat and make his way promptly to his friend's side.

With Inoichi's head still being attached to the contraption that was allowing him and his proxy leading sensors to survey the battlefields where the alliance troops were currently holding the forts, Shikaku could not make out if the Yamanaka clan head was actually shedding tears of distress or simply perspiring due to the strain on his extraordinary psychic abilities that had been tapped on so indiscriminately the past day. He could only wordlessly give his old friend's shoulder a tight squeeze to show that whatever his extensive skills were telling him, he would be there to provide any assistance or advice required.

"Ino... she... she's trapped by an _Edo Tensei_ resurrected zombie's own mind prowess... when she tried to use her _Shintensen_ technique on him," Inoichi managed to sputter, his knuckles turning white as he gripped his kneecaps tightly.

"Another _Edo_ zombie at Division One?" Mabui exclaimed, a frown forming on her delicate features as she too raised herself to her feet. "Isn't... isn't Naruto's clone there? Shouldn't he be able to..."

"Naruto's _Kage Bunshin_ clones have all but disappeared from the battle fronts, after settling the White Zetsu imposters !" came Ao's holler at the other end, the Kirigakure sensor's hands still raised as he concentrated on the _Kanchi Suikyuu_ in the centre of the room. "And it's not just one _Edo_... there're at least three others in the vicinity!"

"Kabuto's probably sent them there to free the entrapped, sealed zombies like Kakuzu and Dan Kato," Shikaku announced, brows knitted more than ever, his tone severe. "They must have moved over from Division Four after failing to free the sealed zombies there."

"I... I can't seem to do anything!" Inoichi cried out once more, demonstrating to Mabui yet again just how distraught and concerned these leaders from Konohagakure could get when it came to the safety of their beloved children. The Yamanaka's love for his daughter was being displayed for all to see, even as he attempted vainly to stifle a piteous sob, and the surrounding sensors were all keeping a respectful silence as they witnessed first-hand their captain's Achilles' Heel. Mabui swallowed hard as she watched how Inoichi's tears were now flowing freely, the warm moisture streaming down his wan cheeks from below the device attached to the pulsing Sensing Water Ball. His current state was definitely miles apart from the chivalrous and genteel demeanour he had portrayed earlier to Mabui but the Raikage's secretary found that his vulnerabilities made him more charismatic than ever before.

"Inoichi, don't panick... Who's around the area? Who can provide aid? If Ino's trapped in her target's subconsciousness, then it's crucial that we get her body to safety and warn the rest not to harm that particular Edo!"

Shikaku's quick thinking seemed to have jolted Inoichi out of his desperate hysteria, for within the next moment, his previously gravelly voice returned to its strong, bold baritone, as it revealed how Hiashi Hyuuga was the main opponent of the _Edo_. Following the Nara man's queries, the Yamanaka spat out the names of the surrounding shinobi caught in their own furore with other _Edo Tensei_ resurrections, painting a vivid picture of how these troops were once again embroiled in yet another hellish crucible.

"Looks like they're battling the Four Celestial Symbols men, the ones from the Takumi village... Naruto and his friends had defeated them before, together with the Sand Siblings..."

"Then, if that's the case, the one who's trapped Ino must be that wretched Suiko!" Ao interrupted Shikaku's analysis, his brashness immediately arresting everyone's attention. "That man... that... that beast... he's tricked many Kiri sensors before... using his Infinite Armour together with his mental capabilities... and... and..."

Shikaku took the trailing off of the Mizukage's right-hand man's voice to be a bad omen, and he wasted no time in getting the more composed Inoichi to link him telepathically to a few individuals, so that he could share his tactics with them in order to alleviate the dire straits that the fighters were in. Knowing that his own son must be coming up with strategies to deal with the cumbersome situations in his periphery offered him cold comfort, since he was also worried about Shikamaru for being constantly placed in danger within the past day. In fact, it seemed as if the youthful Ino-Shika-Cho trio had been caught in never-ending scuffles since the war began, together with their Konoha comrade who had been miraculously bestowed with a rare artifact that was capable of summoning the five elements of nature. After ending his latest message to General Darui, he could only give his friend's clammy hand a reassuring squeeze, urging him to remain calm and monitor the precarious situation to the best of his abilities.

"So... I see you've been... informed... about what's happened... about my beautiful, blonde... prisoner."

It had barely been ten seconds since Shikaku's voice finished transmitting his immoderately exigent message, and Hiashi Hyuuga had not even managed to regain his bearings, when he was genuinely startled by his opponent's bluntly preemptory words. The hateful smirk plastered on Suiko's craggy features was resultant of the defensive mode that Hiashi had suddenly adopted, with the _taijutsu_ master pulling back the drastic power usually found in the frenetic blows he dealt his targets with. Hiashi maintained his stoic silence despite having been discovered by Suiko, his natural agility and solid footwork favouring the retreating tactics that he had been forced to succumb to.

"How are you going to handle me now, old Hyuuga, when you now have to pull your punches knowing that if you hurt me, you'll be hurting poor, precious Ino Yamanaka as well?" Suiko cackled mirthfully as he continued smashing his mace downwards at Hiashi, the obvious glee that he had seemingly gained the upper hand exploding from every pore of his being. "I'm an _Edo Tensei_ reincarnation, my friend, and I can always get resurrected again if you just happen to be able to wound me badly enough. But then, what would happen to this little flower I have trapped within my mind? We've already been dancing for the past minutes without one of us being victorious, but now, with her as my hostage, however are you going to handle me?"

"By adding another Hyuuga warrior into the mix, that's how!"

The ever loyal Ko Hyuuga, caretaker and guardian of Hiashi's elder daughter Hinata Hyuuga, entered the fray with a cheery cry, his fleet footwork catching Suiko slightly off-guard and tripping him with a well-placed kick, causing him to stumble forward and crash into the ground.

"Ko! We can't hurt him! Ino..."

"Yes Master Hiashi... Shikamaru's told me all about it and he's the one who sent me here to provide assistance," the younger man responded spiritedly, a uncharacteristically bold assuredness present in his steely voice. "We'll hold him off until Shikamaru can come up with a plan to..."

"Oh you will, really?" Suiko's tone retained its grating snark even as he had to pick himself up to his feet. "And how do you know that the longer you wait... the longer you 'hold me off', the delicate Yamanaka rose won't be wilting inside me?"

The Hyuuga duo startled slightly at the _Edo's_ venomous words, both too taken aback by the audacious possibility that they were stumped for a worded retaliation. Meanwhile, Suiko seemed to be basking in his added invulnerability, gloating in his already iron-clad armour as he waxed lyrical about the stupendous capabilities of his Infinite Armour, spewing effusively how Ino's chakra was already being siphoned for his own usage by the fearsome ninja tool even though she was actually physically nowhere near it.

"How... how is that possible?" Ko blurted in response, unable to bite his tongue any longer. "Release her from your grasp, you monster!"

"Ooohhhhh I would love to teach you a lesson or two on manners, young Hyuuga, for I can sense the immense chakra reserves you have in you as well," laughed Suiko, baring his gleaming teeth as he continued riling the two with his churlish behaviour. "But that would have to be after I finish absorbing the chakra and life essence of Yamanka Ino, as ordered by my master Kabuto Yakushi."

"She... she's definitely getting weaker," the blonde Jounin finally whispered, even as his palms continued pulsing in mystical energy over his patient's chest. "The longer she's trapped within that _Edo's_ mind, the more precarious it is for her."

C's words caused Shikamaru to slump further back against the jagged boulder as his frazzled mind tried to concoct a feasible plan to handle this painfully afflictive scenario. Ko's Byakugan had detected Ino's sagging form keeled over behind a few treacherous rocks, and the Nara teen had had the good sense to summon the Kumo sensor to his aid. With the intimidating Chouji holding the fort together with Tenten and her elementally imbued arsenal, coupled with the arrival of Baki and Takeshi leading more shinobi into the battle, Shikamaru could at least leave Seimei, Ryuugan and Hoki out of his mind for a while as he focused solely on dealing with Suiko.

"Can you... can you do something... anything?"

The Kumo sensor raised his head to find the Nara youth's own dark eyes piercing right into his own, a world of pain and agony reflected in those glistening orbs kept within narrow slits. There had been a couple of moments of laconism, which C had assumed to be Shikamaru coming up with an ploy to rescue his friend; apparently, even the exceptionally perspicacious teen strategist's mind was drawing a blank and the desolation and misery were etched so painfully on his creased face that C felt his own facial features softening in riposte. He was just about to brace himself to disappoint the dark-haired lad by telling him that his _genjutsu_ abilities might not be sufficient to save Ino from the dark abyss she had fallen into, when just for the terse brevity, his heart gave a sudden lurch at the sight of a couple of shinobi landing nimbly a few feet away, as if the heavens were answering his pleas for reinforcements to appear out of nowhere.

"Sorry we are late," Darui's signature drawl felt like music to their ears as the General of Division One raised his torso upright together with his broad blade, his congregation of familiar figures causing both Shikamaru and C's faces to light up further. "Shikaku filled us in on our way here, and we've come up with some ideas to help. Now let's go save our friend Ino."


	123. Chapter 123

**Part 11: History and Her Story (13)**

The roiling flames swathed together as they hurled themselves aggressively against the solid wall of rock that had rumbled its way swiftly out of the ground, the cogent assault slamming the defensive maneuver so riotously that it took only six short seconds for the massive structure to crumble its way pathetically back to the ground in jagged pieces. A short distance away, another group of shinobi was dispersed by a tiny tornado trailing after it, scattering for cover as their plucky comrade extinguished it with a scathing _Katon_ jutsu from her ethereal ninja tool. The flames fed on the wind energy so eagerly as they imploded into an even more ferocious fireball which the user of the fan sent flying towards the mysterious figure hovering in mid-air. For the umpteenth time, the _Edo Tensei _resurrection simply blitzed away from the impending attack, gliding back so effortlessly that he soon became a tiny black speck in the horizon.

"As soon as we have stemmed the tide, another wave crashes all over us!"

Kurotsuchi's vehement curse reached Tenten's ears just as she was vaulting backwards, her senses jostled by the strident voice of the young woman who had just been revealed to be a close cousin, a jarring fact that she had not had enough time to digest wholly. Suppressing a gasp as a sideward glance revealed that the Iwa Jounin's father had also just leapt into the clamorous brawl, no doubt part of the reinforcement troops that had been summoned to deal with the division's latest clash with Kabuto's tiresome revived minions, Tenten could only veer her attention back to the tumultuous furore that was occurring all over the battlegrounds as she tried to grapple with her flummoxed emotions as quiescently as possible. Somehow, the appearance of yet another newly revealed relative, this stalwart and brawny man who was actually the brother of a father that she had never known in her entire life, was prickling her senses so much so that she almost stumbled one second too late from Seimei's latest wind blade, one sent slicing through the air from the high heavens.

"Get your head back in the game, Tenten! We can talk about our... our situation later but right now, your friend Ino's in real danger and we need you to focus on fighting these zombies so that the rest can help her in peace, without them having to worry about dealing with these scoundrels as well!"

Kitsuchi's clamant words begged for a more thorough explanation, but the burly General was already erecting another rock wall to shield fellow shinobi from Hoki's overwhelming fiery slashes. The stricken kunoichi was still letting her uncle's brusque words sink in, the realisation that one of her best friends was in mortal peril creeping up her spine, as she released more shurikens imbued with fire to deflect the enemy's wind manipulations.

"Snap out of it, Tenten!" Kurotsuchi seemed to be following her father's besiegement, landing beside her and giving her shoulder a comforting squeeze. "There's nothing we can do for Ino here, unlike the other sensors and genjutsu users. We just have to put our faith in them, just like how everyone of us has been putting their beliefs in you wielding the Bashosen. Believe in them... believe in Ino! She will be safe, I promise."

"_Ranton: Reiza Sakasu_!"

Her brows knitted so tightly together that she felt as if her veins would pop, Tenten was trying to make sense of her cousin's words as the kunoichi duo split up, picking up their roles as key fighters of their respective battles yet again. With Darui in the mix as well, he was able to hold Seimei back together with a few of his men from Kumogakure as they activated their Laser Circus jutsus together, the blinding beams weaving together a brilliant, magical light show that was at the very least capable of distracting the villainous Takumi village head for a spell.

"If... if Ino requires the assistance of ... of other sensors and those capable of utilising genjutsu... that means... she's trapped within another _Edo's_ mind or something," Tenten thought, studying the other battles that were occurring at the same time, noticing that Takeshi and Baki were in the midst of giving the precocious brat Ryuugan a particularly tough time together with Kotetsu and Izumo, the Konoha Chunin duo wearing gratified looks of pure relief at the sight of energetic, recharged soldiers prancing around the utterly flustered and annoyed child zombie. Closer behind, the Iwagakure father-daughter combo was dealing with Hoki and his dark blade, with several other shinobi providing adequate support with their Suiton skills to counteract the Edo's fiery techniques. Shikamaru and C's notable absences fortified Kurotsuchi's words that something was being done at the moment, and Tenten surmised that if Darui was already present, his friends like Mizuko and Bekkou should be around the area trying to resolve the situation too.

"It's that tall freak in that weird armour... both Ko and Hiashi-_sama_ are obviously holding back," analysed the Chunin, feeling a vise-like grip clamping on her stomach as she surveyed how the Hyuuga duo was dealing with an insanely demoniac individual who seemed to be luxuriating in some form of newfangled superiority. "He knows... he knows that his opponents are forced to take evasive tactics... in order not to cause Ino any injurious harm."

A giant Chouji landed silently beside her, and both Chunin teens exchanged a brief look of despair before nodding with grim, determined austerity. They both understood that Ino's fate was not in their hands, and their wordless ephemerality somehow still indicated that they knew they had to put their trust in Shikamaru and the others while they did their jobs in tackling the other _Edo_ abominations.

While she had wished almost three years back that she could have partaken in the supposedly exhilarating experience together with her peers in their high-octane tussles with the Takumi villains, she was now regretting the odd thrill she felt earlier when she had realised that their latest _Edo Tensei_ adversaries were indeed the ninja tool experts her friends had faced. With dozens of corpses lying around the area, the carnage she had witnessed at the earlier scene with Kukaju, and now the unpredictable, perilous fate of her best friend, Tenten was definitely wishing that she had never had the opportunity to fight these villains in any form, even if they wielded unorthodox ninja tools worthy of study and analysis.

"We need to get ready, Tenten. We need to take down Seimei before he powers up with all these ninja tools combined together, just like before."

Darting lissomely onto Chouji's enlarged outstretched palm, Tenten managed a deep inhalation as her friend took off into the air with no further delay, his lithe chakra butterfly wings exerting a lethal force as they propelled him straight towards their target. Even safely hidden within the youth's enclosed hand, the kunoichi could feel the tremendous wind forces threatening to cut through the Akimichi's sturdy fingers.

"Chouji... poor Chouji... he's withstanding Seimei's wind prowess just to buy me a chance to cut him down... I mustn't waste this opportunity!"

As planned, once the male Chunin emitted a gurgling cry before spiralling back to the ground, he extended his right arm and flung the figure encircled within. Tenten felt the whiplash on every single exposed portion of her face and body as she was sent hurtling towards the previously placid and seemingly imperturbable zombie, whose coolly composed and detached demeanour was now transforming into undisguised chagrin at the sight of a frenzied girl unfurling her scrolls flying at him.

While not all of the two dozen _Raiton_ kunai managed to reach their disoriented target, since Seimei was still able to deflect some with a few hurried swings of his Weaknessness Soaring Shortswords, a substantial number still pierced right into his gossamery form, the lightning tendrils licking their way all over as they sent shockwaves of electrical energy frying every fibre of his being. Following the plummeting figure, Tenten took a nosedive as she continued releasing dozens of ninja tools at her disposal, refusing to allow Seimei even a fraction of a second to regain his bearings, only catching her breath when she finally slammed three gigantic spiked balls right into his flogged and battered torso and landed sprightly next to the beaten form before somersaulting deftly away as she detonated the explosive tags hidden within, blowing his body up into innumerable smithereens that floated away with the prevailing winds.

"Wait... where... where are his swords? I thought... I thought he was holding on to them..."

Just like before, the Weaknessless Soaring Shortswords seemed to have disappeared from sight, causing the agitated kunoichi to curse inwardly at having lost those ninja tools once more. Tenten did not have to wait long for the mystery to be unraveled though; within scant seconds, before she could even summon the Sealing Team to gather at her current site so that they could seal Seimei when he was reforming later, the weaponry mistress spun around to find blustery whirlwinds crackling with swathing flames greeting her stricken eyes, as if Kakuzu's elemental masks had taken form and combined their devastating powers again. Charred bodies were being burnt to crisps within those puissant, omnipotent concoctions, and the terrified wails of the unsuspecting soldiers froze Tenten to the spot, as hideous memories of the previous day's horrors replayed in her mind.

"Tenten! It's Hoki! He's the one who's summoned Seimei's swords to him! It's been him pulling the strings all along!"

From the air, Chouji had a bird's eye view of the entire landscape, and as he swooped back toward his comrade, he was wearing a chastised expression as if he had made the most grievous error ever. Feeling that it was useless to say anything else, Tenten hopped onto Chouji's back as he soared back towards the direction where they had left their comrades to fend for themselves against a supposedly less dangerous foe. The sight of the singed corpses on the ground brought a painful lump to her throat, as she urged her friend to rally some sealers back to where she had desecrated Seimei once she landed. Chouji only managed a weak cry of protest, but stayed respectfully quiet since he knew it was the right thing to do.

"_Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu_!"

Vaulting from her friend's broad back, the wielder of the Bashosen swung three water dragons to life, with all of them shooting through the ravaged atmosphere and dispelling the flaming tornados within mere seconds. The efficacy of the Water Dragon Bullet technique managed to salvage the lives of many of the surrounding shinobi, who watched starry-eyed at the valorous teen who was dashing imprudently once again towards the heart of the battle with the Sage artifact she had unwittingly gained control of the day before.

"That's my uncle and my cousin you're hurting, you freaking bastard! _Kazekiri no Jutsu_!"

As always, the Iwagakure duo had stayed resolutely unstoppable and valiant in the face of adversity, using their _Doton_ techniques to fend Hoki off as much as they could. Father and daughter, however, had been inadvertently caught within a spinning vortex that was threatening to suffocate them slowly and painfully, both of them grabbing their throats as they turned blue in the face with the oxygen being sucked out of them. Tenten's Wind Cutter technique quickly neutralised the _Edo's_ own, rendering it harmless and carrying both Iwa soldiers a distance away to safety. Without hesitating for even a split second, the intrepid female launched herself at the smug zombie with a guttural roar, brandishing her own imbued Chinese swords and wrangling directly with his own mystical blades.

"You've ignored me for so long ever since you got here, I was almost hurt that you thought only my dear ... master Seimei deserved all your attention," leered Hoki as he parried her sword thrusts dexterously, matching his menacing swordsmanship with equally adroit footwork. "Now that I finally get to face the great Tenten, wielder of the legendary Bashosen, let's see how long it takes for me to get this ninja tool from you, shall we?"


	124. Chapter 124

**Part 11: History and Her Story (14)**

"All right, now that he's been sealed, let's get back to the battle!"

Chouji's beady eyes were sparkling with unadulterated exultation as he witnessed the cloth weave itself over the partially formed head of the _Edo_, its stark whiteness complementing the blanched, cadaverous figure it was consuming. The Akimichi had followed his female comrade's instructions to the T, gathering Takeshi Shiro and his Sunagakure peers to keep a vigilant watch over the site sprawling with ninja tools and metallic debris. With Chouji's colossal fists at bay, it was a relative cinch for a Sealing Team member to activate the _Nunoshibaru no Jutsu _on Seimei, completely immobilising him and preventing him from being summoned again once some seals were stuck to the mummified being.

It took a couple of moments for Chouji to realise that his words seemed to have fallen on deaf ears; after moving several steps forward and activating his chakra wings again, he turned to find the nine Suna soldiers wearing unreadable expressions, with one young male teen actually looking exceptionally haunted, his reddened eyes glassy and glazed over. When the Konoha Chunin repeated his earnest request, more of them turned away, their hesitance and lack of adherence to his words somehow managing to stir up an prickling sense of anger within the usually mild-mannered and clement teen. Before he could say anything more however, Takeshi stepped forward to address him, his manner somewhat defiant and contumacious.

"I know what you're thinking... that my friends here are cowards... shirking their responsibilities as soldiers of the Shinobi Alliance," the Suna male spoke boldly, his voice firm and filled with lots of gusto, his eyes burning with passionate fervour. "But... think... recall... just how many of us have been sacrificed the past day. I just lost my cousin Taki... my uncle Baki held on to her corpse less than a half-hour ago, and he's still now out there fighting those wretched zombies. My friend Souchi sacrificed his life by... by wrapping himself in his cloth bale together with an _Edo_ _Tensei_ so that he wouldn't be resurrected again... I'm not even sure if Yotoi is alive after he was attacked by Hiruko... I left the Division One camp for this mission with more than a dozen Sealing Team members but that bitch Kukaju took out more than half of us. So forgive my friends if I tell them to hold back... if I tell them to retreat, Mister Akimichi. Not all of us have the ability to withstand long, dragged out battles with these freaks of nature! Not all of us have your mighty birthright, or have a Bashosen in his hands! So don't you start judging us, young man! Don't you dare judge us!"

At a loss for words, Chouji could only mumble an inaudible, incoherent apology as Takeshi, ironically, sauntered past his looming figure and burst into action, summoning his almost invisible Wind Blades fissuring from his hands as he started traversing the distance to provide backup for his comrades. The affected Akimichi youth looked at the other Sealing Team members with glistening, sorrowful eyes and managed a sincere bow as a token of his discombobulated composure, still too stumped for words.

"Don't mind Takeshi, lad... he... he's been through a lot today. He's not wrong though... If more of us get killed, we won't be able to assist in sealing the _Edos_. Forgive us if we do actually just hold back until we are needed."

While the Suna kunoichi's much more reposeful tone did manage to slightly soothe Chouji's ragged nerves, he was still gripped by pangs of penitence for having even harboured any fractious thought toward the harried group. Nodding respectfully in acknowledgement of the speaker's words, he bade them to remain safely hidden with their prisoners - both Seimei and Kukaju - before making a beeline and following Takeshi's trail, firing up his chakra wings once again and charging toward the battlegrounds. As he soared past Takeshi and rammed his garguantan fist at a snarling Ryuugan, he made a silent vow that he would not allow any other member of the Sealing Team to get harmed or killed, to the best of his abilities.

"Your friends... they're trying so hard to come up with a way to save you, little girl."

Yamanaka Ino felt the bile rise in her throat as the imbecile's voice flooded her senses, Suiko's obstreperous chortles riling her nerves and assaulting her addled mind once more. As the imperious zombie carried on flaunting about his impeccable skills in his presumptuous and pompous manner, the young kunoichi closed her eyes in an attempt to dulcify her mind and maintain as conciliated a psyche as possible. Her father had gone through numerous bouts of training to bulwark her mental capabilities for unprecedented, outlandish incidents like her current predicament, but right at that very moment, the other deep baritone that was making his presence felt in her mind did not belong to Yamanaka Inoichi, but that of the commanding officer of the Konoha Torture and Interrogation Force.

"Listen, Ino... just as we've practised before, don't let him affect you with his words. Keep calm, so that the chakra he is absorbing from your body with his armour is kept as minimal as possible."

Blocking out Suiko's conceited rants as much as she could, the blonde sensor kept her focal point zoomed in on the cynosure of her profusely rampant thoughts. Ibiki Morino's voice revealed how Kurenai and Aoba had currently joined the battle against Suiko together with Tsume, with both of them definitely able to wrest control of the _Edo's_ mind soon.

"Even if it's for a few brief moment, it should be enough for both of us to maintain an upper hand for a while, and that's sufficient."

"But _Sensei_... his ninja tool... his Infinite Armour's... not only protects him, it's also able to siphon our chakra, like what he's doing to me now."

Even if she could not actually see his face, Ino could vividly envisage how Ibiki's thin lips must be drawing upwards, stretching the deep scar across his chiseled chin. "That's where the other team of Kumo sensors, and your dear friend Tenten, will play their parts."

"_Tensei Ranka_!"

With Takeshi and Baki's wind prowess propelling the screeching child into the air, Kotetsu and Izumo finally managed to launch an aerial assault that connected with their target, flipping repeatedly in mid-air with their legs sending multiple kicks and pummeling the wailing waif further upwards. The shockwaves generated by the Emperor's Orchid Bloom technique were visibly tearing Ryuugan's torso bit by bit, before the Konoha duo slammed the shredded form back to the ground with resounding axe kicks.

"Curses! His Garian Sword... it's still protecting him and preventing us from getting near to seal him!" Kotetsu flared up as he was once again forced to retreat almost immediately after his successful _taijutsu_ move with his partner.

Within three seconds after the ostentatious resounding impact of the two Chunins' attack, the snarling zombie was already up on his feet, holding tightly to the hilt of his inestimable ninja tool that was coiling itself around its master, as if it was alive. Like a virtuoso puppet master handling his marionette with frangible strings, Ryuugan was manipulating his Gariantou extremely savvily, using the wires attached within the sword to work wonders with it. With each of the metallic blades responding complaisantly to his chakra patterns, it was evident that the intimate relationship between the _Edo_ and his toy was causing his assailants much mortifying malaise.

"What's the matter, my dear shinobi soldiers? Having trouble handling a little kid like me?" Ryuugan tittered shrilly, clearly enjoying the stymied looks on his opponents as the flecks and pieces cut off by their previous techniques floated ethereally back to his body and reattached themselves.

Having fought Suiko a little earlier and Ryuugan even years back, Chouji was forming the impression that all the members of the Celestial Symbols team must be filled with overflowing levels of conceit and self-exaltation, even after knowing that they had all met their ends in the hands of pubescent Genins back then. It was true, however, that their resurrected forms seemed to be more minacious and threatening than ever, even if they had already managed to seal two of the five adversaries.

"And it seems that you have slimmed down quite a bit from the last time I met you, Akimichi. I have yet to thank you for helping that Kankuro of Sunagakure kill me with his dastardly puppets," the child _Edo_ was still rambling, cooing and laughing gaily before he locked his grey sclera with Chouji's dark irises before turning his gaze to Baki and Takeshi, shooting them such a noxious glare that the Konoha Chunin felt a wave of fear wash over him. "Perhaps that's why I have a ... personal vendetta against Suna soldiers, especially those who are capable of... foiling our grand plans... like sealing up our teammates."

Frozen momentarily to the spot by Ryuugan's thinly veiled words, Chouji took only a split second to respond to Takeshi's clamant holler for him to rush back to his peers, noting that both the Suna youth and his uncle were already leaping at the cackling psychopath with their internecine wind blades. He felt as if his heart was in his mouth, recalling just how minutes ago, he had made the staunch promise that he would prevent any more of the Sealing Team members from being harmed. The billowing forces buffeting against his face as he shot through the air at such hypersonic speeds were slicing his marked cheeks but the Team 10 powerhouse was only focused on reaching his Sunagakure comrades in time. True enough, a distance ahead, he could already make out several soldiers unravelling their cloth bales simultaneously at a particular source of interest, and an agitated Chouji Akimichi went full throttle as he sped towards the scene, praying that he was not too late.

"_Katon: Kaen Rendan_!"

With yet another sturdy undulation, the Bashosen sent a barrage of expeditious fireballs catapulting at its lone target, who retaliated with unyielding swings of his own ninja tools. Tenten landed on one bended knee, with C placing pulsating palms immediately on her back, panting in exasperation as she allowed the Kumo sensor to do his job.

"Keep up the act... let him think the Bashosen is sucking up your chakra," the blonde Jounin was now whispering, putting on a facade of despondency himself even though he really wanted to cheer his comrades who were sprinting past them and firing up their own jutsus at Hoki. "He doesn't know that your body is no longer being enervated by the Sage tool... and we just need him to..."

"I understand," the Konoha girl nodded, reaching her left shoulder with her free hand and holding her comrade's pulsing hand. "I... I'm sorry for behaving the way I did earlier... but I..."

"No worries there, I totally get it," C returned the gesture with an affectionate squeeze. "Right now, my mind is... I'm also greatly confused... by what I've lost. I just heard from Mizuko that my sister... a _Jinchuuriki_... has also been revived... and your friend Naruto, as well as Bee-_sama_, are on their way to battle her."

"_Doton: Doryuu Taiga_! _Doryuudan_!"

The short exchange re-affirmed their comradeship, and as Tenten straightened her back once more, taking in the scene of her newfound blood relatives pouncing on the delirious madman with a combination of their Earth Release: Earth Flow River and Earth Dragon Bullet techniques. As she felt her own chest heave with pride at the sight of Hoki firstly being thrown off balance by the river of mud beneath his feet before being shot into the air by the dragon head firing balls of mud at him, she placed a tentative hand on C's shoulder.

"Earlier today.. when... when you were in your dazed stupor... you had a vision... you had a vision of me, didn't you? Yuugao and I... we both noticed that... that you were giving me strange looks."

Caught totally off-guard and not expecting the tender moment to vanish so abruptly, the flustered sensor turned to find an guileless and earnest face looking up at him, eyes shimmering with a mixture of foreboding and uncertainty, yet the strong sense of indomitability and valour stayed firmly etched. Sensing his vacillating ambivalence, the Chunin held the older soldier's hand as she implored him with her brown doe-eyes again.

"It's okay... you can be honest with me... I... I just need to know... do I... do I make it?"

C felt his heartbeat decelerating as the seconds ticked by and when he finally started describing what he saw, he found to his surprise that his voice was not as trembly or quivering as he thought it would. As he enumerated the memory bit by bit, he clasped the teen's hand warmly in both of his own and found, strangely, that his nerves were no longer as ragged as they had been.

"Actually... I'm not sure if either one of us makes it."

With that unpropitiously baleful ending, C turned back to the calamitous scene in front of them, stating stoically that Mizuko was telling him telepathically that it seemed as if Hoki seemed to be getting ready to power up again. Knowing that timing was key, Tenten gave one last squeeze to the hand of her new friend, someone who had actually met her mother when she was alive, before watching him dart nimbly forward to join his fellow Kumogakure shinobi in mobilising their techniques against their maniacal foe.

"_Raigen Raikouchuu_!"

"_Ranton: Reiza Sakasu_!"

The landscape was suddenly engulfed by a blazing display of blinding light, the luminosity of the Kumo warriors' combined jutsus causing many surrounding fighters to shield their eyes. Dazzling halos of bright energy encircled the hands of Darui and his men as refulgent beams tore through the atmosphere. C's own body was emanating its own brilliance as his Lightning Illusion Flash of Lightning Pillar move was activated, and with Mizuko and Bekkou as supports, Tenten knew that Hoki would be caught in a _genjutsu_ technique very soon. Even though this seemed almost like the perfect opportunity to take him down with the Bashosen, she knew that she had to hold back and appear slightly shaky and debilitated when Hoki supposedly regained his bearings again, so that the plan to rescue her best friend could be realised.

"_Futon: Shinkuu Renpa_!"

True to Mizuko's warning, Hoki was indeed pulling out a savage and pernicious wind technique, probably outrageously thrown off by the Kumogakure soldiers' momentous, trenchant collaboration. The Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves technique was sending rapidly discharged wind blades flying at different angles in order to take down whoever could be threatening to strike while the _Edo_ was currently blinded. Silently feeding the air waves again with the Wind Cutter technique that she had ironically learnt from the sealed Kukaju a while ago, Tenten was able to neutralise many of the fast incoming blades with the highly consummate Mizuko telepathically acting as her eyes.

"You... you bastard! What... what have you done?"

The reincarnated _Edo_ blinked repeatedly, stretching his eyelids wide open after a few moments, only to find more than a dozen sprawling bodies scattered around, lying limply on the rocky ground. Only the teen girl with her hair tightly braided into twin buns remained unsteadily on her feet fifty metres ahead, but even then, the wan, sallow look of horror on her face was enough to lift his spirits by several levels. Seeing her quivering body struggle to maintain a foothold was bringing a lascivious smile to his own pasty countenance, and as he burst into a cacophonous guffaw, Hoki of the Takumi Village raised his entire torso upright as he strode towards the young kunoichi.

"You know the few swords you're holding won't even stand a chance of beating the Bashosen, you freak," shrieked Tenten as she lifted the hilt of the white and red frond, taking a few steps back. "My... my friends from Konoha... they told me that Seimei was capable of amazing feats with his tools... and now that he's sealed, it's only a matter of time before I take you down!"

"Seimei? You're still talking about that washed out useless piece of crap?" Hoki's vociferation boomed across the horizon, his voice wholly filled with hostile antipathy. "Look who got sealed so early in the game, you little wench!"

"Yes, and what stopped him?" Tenten's voice was getting bolder and more audacious, though she continued retreating. "The latent prowess of the Bashosen, the Sage artifact that I am wielding! And I'm going to do the same to you and those inutile pieces of metal! I don't recall my friends mentioning you much when they were telling me about their battle with Seimei and these supposedly godly ninja tools!"

The unholy aberration halted mid-step, sclera glowing as his disconcerted thoughts zoomed in the undeniable truths laced in the girl's words. His senses stirred up, he stared at the weirdly cowering yet defiant teen for a few more moments before he sheathed the swords back in their scabbards on his back and snickered rancorously as he performed a few hand seals.

Chouji was just using his colossal body to shield several Suna sealers, when the chakra reptilian monster Ryuugan had released into the underground waterways to reach his targets suddenly disappeared, just as it seemed as if it was about to smash its glowing head right into the Chunin's massive body, which was already speckled with a few scorch marks. Turning his head as he raised his gigantic form, the youth towered over the soldiers he had successfully saved, peering over the distance to witness how, out of nowhere, for seemingly no rhyme or reason, Ryuugan was being cut down by his fellow Alliance soldiers within seconds. As he picked up two Sealing Team members with his enlarged hand, both of whom greatly spry and jocund from having been rescued by their giant benefactor, Chouji felt a tantalising thrill travel through his senses as he took to the air once more, wondering if his peers had somehow surmounted the _Edos_ and saved his teammate.

Tenten emitted a soft gasp as she watched the two ninja tools sail through the air towards her adversary, knowing that with the Infinite Armour lifted from Suiko's bulky form, her fellow Konoha shinobi would finally be able to help Ino. Managing a quiet simper at the thought, the Chunin felt her heart flutter as she watched the metallic vest fit itself over the wildly feverish, convulsing zombie. The energy brimming in her hands clasped over the Bashosen's hilt reminded her of C's vision, and knowing that this was not her last stand seemed to be invigorating her senses, despite the ominous message behind it. Somehow, even though the Kumo sensor had more or less confirmed that she might meet her end in the main battlefield, Tenten of Konohagakure told herself whatever she was doing was for the greater good, and that even if she ended up sacrificing her life, it would be worth it.

"Now, little brat... now that I have all my ninja tools assembled, let's see whether you have anything else to say to..."

The mirthful _Edo_ was clearly brimming with immeasurable zeal due to the new additions he had summoned to his collection, with the Gariantou connected to his back and its three lengthy, flexible blades sticking out like treacherous tentacles looming menacingly in the air. What stopped his words in mid-sentence was the sight of the 'dead' shinobi picking themselves up and looking none the worse for wear. Flabbergasted, Hoki could only expel a disbelieving gasp when the two Iwa soldiers leapt out from beneath the surface of the ground and immediately activated yet another of their wide and varied _Doton_ repertoire. His red irises burnt furiously as his grey eyes affixed his sight at the Konoha kunoichi, who was charging her way towards him with the delicate fan firmly grasped in both her hands. He unleashed a sepulchral and beastly roar as the realisation that he had been tricked struck him painfully in the gut, together with the fact that he must have been a victim of the illusory tactics of the _genjutsu_ users amongst his assailants, all of whom were now heeding Tenten's lead.

"Yes, Hoki! Now let's see if you have anything else to say!"


	125. Chapter 125

**Part 11: History and Her Story (15)**

_"So... your father doesn't mind?"_

_The blonde teen exhaled as she broke eye contact with the speaker's piercing orbs, feeling as if she was going to hurl and that her heart was threatening to pound its way out of her ribcage. Mumbling her way through was not going to help in any way though, so the young Chunin took yet another deep breath, braced herself and raised her head to lock eyes again with Konogakure's most renowned interrogator._

_"No, he doesn't... he doesn't know that... that I am here, Ibiki-sama," Yamanaka Ino finally spoke with her timorous voice managing not to quiver, despite the storm of uncertainty and dubiety raging inside her. "I came on my own accord, after considering... recent events and... well... what is going to happen... what we are going to face soon."_

_As the timbre of her voice grew less trembly, the Yamanaka youth's sense of assurance and grit seemed to rise from within her core, the warmth emanating and spreading seemingly through all her nerve fibres. The more she recounted the myriad tumultuous emotions she had felt course through her entire being, her whole soul, during the Akatsuki's invasion of her home village, the more she found herself raising her initially slumped form, gripping the sides of her seat until her delicate fingers started to pulse painfully. Reminiscing the horror of witnessing the death of Shizune was bringing upon a fervid flush to her cheeks, as the sense of utter haplessness and incapacitation replayed in her mind, the graphic memory of the Akatsuki marionette extinguishing the kunoichi's life in such an abhorrent, unrelenting manner reigniting the need to recoil within._

_"I... I never want to feel so... so paralysed again. Never again!"_

_Ino ended her speech with those definitive words spoken in an uncharacteristically stentorian tone that would undoubtedly stir the emotions of anyone listening, yet the atmosphere in the makeshift tent remained poignantly elusive. Morino Ibiki seemed to be remaining annoyingly unflappable in his seat, his detached and impassive comportment looming as unreadable as before, probably thanks to his years of experience as Konohagakure's notorious master of psychology._

_It was only when a particularly emphatic gust of the balmy afternoon breeze blew open the flaps of Ibiki's temporary office did Ino notice a flicker of interest flash across the Tokubetsu Jounin's dark irises; turning around, she saw that her friend had remained exactly where she had left her more than fifteen minutes before, a few metres away from the tent and still holding on to the same bunch of wooden bo staffs that she had been moving. Slightly startled for that split second of visual connection, Tenten, garbed in her usual white and maroon outfit, offered a diffident wave before the cloth swished back down and blocked her from view, simultaneously muffling the surrounding noises that came with the ongoing reconstruction of the village. The Yamanaka Chunin turned back to find that Ibiki's scarred and inclement countenance had softened somewhat, a fallacious look of discomfiture glazing over his face._

_"She... she was the one... she took out ... she helped to get rid of the panda creature that destroyed my office... the building, I mean."_

_Managing a meagre nod in tentative response, Ino studied the short-lived flustered countenance of the man famed for being apathetic and imperturbable to almost anything. It did not require her to activate any of her clan's delectable prowess nor her skills as a sensor to detect Ibiki's momentary fall from grace, arousing a strange of curiosity within her as she slowly described what her friend had told her about that particular battle. It was as if Ibiki's chest was swelling with pride as he was listening to her words, as if he was finally paying attention to what Ino was saying only after seeing Tenten waiting outside._

_"I thought Haruno Sakura was your best friend. Why isn't she the one accompanying you here... on such a... critical task... instead of ... her?"_

_Caught off guard, the blonde teen blinked repeatedly for a few seconds as her wits tried to gather themselves in order to form a comprehensive retaliation. It was a question that she had never expected, much less one that would actually be expelled from the lips of a man who possessed such a rugged and intractable disposition. Just before she opened her own quivering lips to attempt a provocative retort, she caught the twinkle that had returned to his eyes, and even though he had moved only but a little slightly in his seat, she could sense the sharp shift in his mood and the change in his demeanour._

_It was then, that Ino understood that her training had actually just begun._

"It's time, Ino!"

Having heeded Ibiki's initial instructions to keep her eyes shut while held captive in Suiko's psychic prison, Team 10's intrepid female warrior had managed to prevent her chakra reserves from getting totally imbibed by the _Edo_, even if she had still felt his monumental abilities imperceptibly draining them. With her fellow Division Five comrade igniting the illusory darkness with his booming voice, Ino opened her eyes to find herself still surrounded by the impenetrable black cover. Yet it seemed as if she had no need for her optic nerves at all; Ibiki's command came just as she felt Suiko's suction force lifted all of a sudden out of nowhere, and Ino's mind was inexplicably infused with a outright gush of vivid clarity as her limbs took a life of their own. As her senses homed in on the aberrant giant, who seemed to have been overcome by some kind of spasmodic disorientation, Ino's delicate fingers formed the Yamanaka clan's signature once more, albeit this time right within another being's mind.

"_Shintensen no Jutsu_!"

Hiashi Hyuuga's white irises widened within that split second, his _Byakugan_ registering the acute chakra upheaval within the resurrected zombie, who was obviously hit by yet another bout of confounding consternation at the moment, so soon after losing his armour. He held Ko back with his right hand, the younger Hyuuga already eager to pounce immediately on their befuddled enemy since he had lost his ostentatious treasure to one of his own teammates and could no longer poach their chakra, reminding his staunchly allegiant manservant that they still had no choice but to stay vigilant.

"Ino's still entrapped within this monster! Remember, we can't hurt her, though I do believe Suiko's mind is now being invaded by our Konoha brethren!"

The sudden rigidity that had struck the Edo's body was apparent to all the flabbergasted shinobi present, and it seemed as if even Kurenai and Aoba had already managed to foment a stupendous amount of discord within him with their combined _genjutsu_ sleights. Ko's eyes shone with undisguised piquancy at the sight of the dark substance streaking freely from Suiko's eye sockets, as if the numerous capillaries within the grey sclera had ruptured all at once and caused such a darkly hematic outcome.

"Ko, Tsume... Tenten's team needs assistance against that lunatic!" Hiashi's _Byakugan_ was evidently working its numinous arcane prowess as the veins around his white eyes pulsed rhythmically, though even without his coercion, his fellow Konoha fighters would still have been alerted by the fulminating detonations approaching their direction. "With all the ninja tools Hoki has in his possession, he's more than they can handle! Go help Tenten! I'll stay here till I'm certain Ino is safe from Suiko's grasp!"

Tsume took one last glance at the starkly inundated _Edo_ before she leapt fleetly back onto the gamboling Kuromaru's back, while the younger Hyuuga seemed unwilling to heed Hiashi's grave adjuration, his rigid stance adamantly displaying the resistance to his master's words. It was only when the awestruck warrior envisaged the situation with his own accelerated visionary prowess, the actual dire straits that the troops had plunged themselves into in order to salvage the savage conundrum their exalted benefactor had been embroiled in, did Ko wordlessly finally race after his Inuzuka comrade and her _ninken_.

"He's still resisting our hold... refusing to let Ino go! We... we're running out of time!"

Shikamaru's eyes widened at the sight of the viscous trail of blood trickling out of his friend's left nostril as he held her in his arms, rooted to the spot by Ibiki's truculent declaration in his thick baritone. On bended knee, the towering Tokubetsu Jounin had both his hefty hands hovering over Ino's head, his trembling gloved fingers seemingly exerting an invisible force as he kept his eyes vehemently shut. Those few foreboding words were his first in many minutes, and the Nara teen felt the bile rising again in his oesophagus, his hopes of everything falling into place once Suiko had lost his recherché Infinite Armour diminishing by the second. Nevertheless, he remained taciturn, holding his tongue and not wanting to divert Ibiki's concentration from his insurmountable task. The perspiration that was dripping off the interrogator's chin was demonstrative of the magnitude the stupendous effort he was putting in, and knowing that, according to his plan, Ibiki already had Kurenai and Aoba providing crucial assistance with their own abilities was causing Shikamaru to feel the sense of unease course through his fingers in a provocatively painful manner.

"_Kasumi Juusha no Jutsu_!"

Wrecking havoc in Suiko's mind, Aoba's demonic crows were multiplying in numbers each time the resurrected zombie attempted to wrest control from the Konoha quartet as he obdurately clung on to the telepathic link that he was holding the Yamanaka girl prisoner with. Despite how Ino's Mind Transfer jutsu had managed to break the fortress-like barrier for that split second after Suiko's loss of his prized ninja tool and allowed her comrades to enter the reincarnation's mind, he had still been able to obstinately hold his own against them. The Mist Servant _genjutsu_ technique called forth by Aoba was however slowly wearing Suiko down, the eerie black feathered illusions cawing and flocking all over him, trying to corner him within the endless abyss like perpetually incessant ghouls prowling dark alleys for hapless victims to devour.

"_Magen: Jubaku Satsu_!"

Sensing Ibiki's rising ire and Ino's aggrandising fatigue, Kurenai mobilised her own move, choosing to quickly execute a technique that had been passed down in Konohagakure since ancient times. With Aoba's abundant crow summons festering all around the blustering _Edo_, it took the _genjutsu_ mistress very little time to ensnare him within her Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death tactic. Emerging out of an ethereal mist was the mirage of a fast-growing tree trunk that coiled its way fastidiously around its rabid target. However, instead of the beauteous kunoichi emanating from the depths of the wooden illusion, the intimidating figure of her friend appeared instead, catching the immobilised zombie off guard with his sudden presence behind him.

"_Kuchiyose: Goumon Heya_!"

The summoned iron Torture Chamber that the increasingly overwrought Suiko found himself caged in was filled with clangorous chains that were now threatening to pull his body apart, his rugged colossal form entirely entwined with garrote wire eating deep into his flesh as his limbs were sickeningly stretched by the gears controlling the rolling chains. Emitting a delirious outburst as he felt the ligaments coming apart at his joint sockets, the zombie spat at his prison warden who was also within the structure, grey sclera blazing with a livid furore compounded by his Konoha assailants' successive assaults.

"You think you can free that Yamanaka wench in this manner? Even if you seal my body now, her mind will be trapped within mine! You won't be able to free her then!"

"Where do you even think we are, Suiko?" Ibiki's sedate and civil tone was a far cry from his prisoner's boisterous brashness, his stern countenance once again a vivid reflection of his sterling reputation. "Do you mean to tell me, you actually believe we're all still out in the open battlefield? Let me tell you, my dear friend, that we are in the deep recesses of your mind and that without your Infinite Armour protecting you, we've managed to break down your mental defences..."

"That doesn't mean anything, Konoha dog!" Suiko snapped savagely, even though he did seem visibly shaken by the realisation that he himself was a victim of his invaders' genjutsu artistry. "I have the wretched girl in my grasp, and... and now that you've stupidly revealed the truth to me, I'll quell her from existence here, and... and..."

"And nothing, you big lug. _Ninpo: Hyakka Ryoran_!"

With the revived Takumi artisan somehow actually exerting an even more improbable telepathic force to maintain the straining reins of his psychic links, Yamanaka Ino's last attack exploded right in his face with sheer potency. The hovering darkness finally relented in relinquishing its dominance, the surroundings bursting forth with an intense purplish brilliance, as a storm of purple flowers swept through Suiko; the _Edo_ was utterly mortified by this psychic bedlam, thrown off balance by his previous torturer vanishing with his metallic chamber and presented with this ludicrously frenetic inundation. It was as if millions of petals had been summoned by this Ninja Art: Profusion of Flowers performance, and no matter how he tried to finally abnegate his telepathic hold on the Yamanaka teen, Suiko learnt to his horror, that the roles had been reversed and he had become her prisoner instead.

The _genjutsu_ was at its peak, the immensity of the move drowning the zombie in an arrantly flagrant flood as he clawed madly to swim himself out of the violet waves. It was at this point when Suiko realised that he had been pierced all over by hundreds of stalks, and even though he knew it had to be illusory and not rationally plausible, he could feel the puissant toxins of the poisonous wolfsbane flowers deluge through his vessels. No matter how he willed himself to escape this incongruous situation, Suiko realised that his ex-prisoner had gained such an astringently peremptory foothold of his senses that it was inevitable for the next step to occur. Blatantly showing that she could read his thoughts, Ino projected an illusionary image of her face right in front of the flabbergasted Edo still cursing audibly at the unexpected turn of the tide. Appearing as a titanic presence seemed to rob him of the ability to use his vocal chords, and Ino offered him her last words before crushing his psychic existence right under her boot, as if he had never been worth any attention, just like a speck of dust.

"Never underestimate a Yamanaka, especially when she has such formidable allies with her."

The Chunin blinked several times as she awoke to find her body already moving; taken aback by how the person carrying her was actually launching himself right into the air, Ino separated her shriveled lips but found that she could neither muster any energy to speak nor moisten her lips with her parched tongue. In her benumbed stupor, she tried to clear the heavy grogginess from her head, and a few seconds later, manage to retrieve her senses. That was when Ibiki landed violently on his back while still cradling her, and Ino felt her delicately smooth skin bristle with the nefarious heat that had claimed its reign of the vicinity, together with the rattling of her bones with the brutal impact of her rescuer's fall.

"Ino! You're safe!"

The irony was apparent when in the next moment, the group had to evade the next stream of hellish flames sent their way, and Shikamaru's exulted elation at his friend's recovery had to be unjustly curbed. Rendered into a state of confusion immediately after she had been freed from Suiko's clutches, the flummoxed Yamanka teen could only stay shielded within Ibiki's protective embrace as her fellow Konoha soldiers took to the air yet again, understanding that very soon, her clan's abilities would definitely be required once more.


	126. Chapter 126

**Part 11: History and Her Story (16)**

"There... I... I ... I just sensed it... it a... a... again... That big ... ex... ex... explosion..."

The Sunagakure squad commander turned from the Kumo sensor's maladroit stammer to the Hyuuga duo's more collected assertion that they were still quite a distance from their destination. Trying to quell the grating shrill from the Iwa kunoichi once again thereafter, the youth barked quick orders for the assemblage to pick up the pace, blatantly ignoring the female's irked physiognomy and jarring rants despite her fellow villager's urgings for her to "Hush the hell up, Jikyo!"

Kankuro coughed and spluttered slightly after addressing his men, feeling the faint presence of the poison that most of them had been exposed to the day before in his blood stream, the memories of how they had been engulfed in the expunging fumes of reincarnated Hanzo's Ibuse still lingering vividly in his mind. Himself an adept apprentice of poisons, the Jounin chided himself for once again falling prey to yet another's _Dokugiri_ Poison Mist; in recent memory, the gifted puppeteer had, just like the day before, required the aid of Konoha's young healer Sakura Haruno's healing abilities back when he was struck down by the Akatsuki's Sasori of the Red Sand. Granted that the immortalised puppet form of Sasori had already been added to his arsenal - another ironic twist since Kankuro's main three puppets had actually been created by the former Akatsuki - it had been almost psychologically cathartic that the Suna youth had had to battle him again in his _Edo Tensei_ resurrected form. Though the resurrected Deidara continued to be imprisoned within one of his gangly Kuroari puppets, Sasori's soul had righteously been freed by gaining closure that he had achieved immortality in all the puppets he had created.

"It's Division One's troops, all right, just like Headquarters... just like what Inoichi-_san_ told us," the gritty baritone of the first Hyuuga male interrupted his reverie. "Hiashi-_sensei_... Ko... the Division Generals Darui and Kitsuchi... they're all trying to fend off the _Edo Tensei._"

A side glance to the young man speeding doggedly ahead stirred within him a recurring bout of obeisance for the Konoha ninja in his motley crew. Somehow, Tokuma Hyuuga's steely report of what his cabalistic _Byakugan_ was able to capture from such a stupendous distance away was both impressing him - after all, they were at least still eight kilometres away from their destination - yet also reminding him that this young man had almost lost his life twice the day before. Together with Ranka, his squad mate from Konohagakure's covert Infiltration and Reconnaissance Party, the brown-haired Hyuuga had been used as one of _Edo_ Sasori's human puppets used to ambush Kankuro's own _Kishuu Butai_ Suprise Attack Division of the Allied Shinobi Forcds.

Even though Kumogakure's Omoi had thankfully managed to free the Konoha duo from their attached chakra strings with his _kenjutsu_ skills, they had still lost their comrade Muta Aburame who was perniciously used as an ambush bait and blown to bits when Deidara detonated the explosive clay placed in his insect jar. Nevertheless, despite also almost having become victims of Hanzo's Kuchiyose venomous salamander summon Ibuse, and how their reconnaissance leader Anko Mitarashi remained missing after having been captured by the nefarious Kabuto Yakushi, both Tokuma and Ranka were exhibiting nothing but bravado and heroism.

"Wait... I can't believe what I'm seeing... that's Tenten? Team Guy's weapon specialist... she... she's facing the _Edo Tensei_ head on!"

"And you're shocked by that just because she's a kunoichi, aren't you?" Jikyo's rancorous words were once again rattling Kankuro's nerves, making him wish once again that she had just remained behind with Mifune's division instead of tagging along with his Iwa platoon mate Ittan. "Typical! So what if she's female? If I were there, I'd also be..."

"That's not it, and shut your trap for a second, will you?" it was evident that Tokuma's own tolerance for the spitfire was basically non-existent. "It's just that I've never... I've never seen this side of her... I mean I've known of her _bukijutsu_ and _fuinjutsu_ abilities from Neji and Hinata, but... but she's now wielding a feather fan and summoning... elements to counteract the _Edo's_ own! Fire... Lightning... Wind... she's simply going toe-to-toe with him and his own elemental summons!"

"A feather fan? The ... the Ba... Basho... Bashosen? That... that's not... not... possible..."

The burly, slant-eyed Kumogakure sensor had started stuttering since the day before, still recovering from Ibuse's poison's paralysing effects. Despite his Kirigakure medical-nin platoon mate's best efforts, Tango still seemed to be the worst-affected in Kankuro's team, even if his muscular stature seemed to imply otherwise. Even now, the spiky-haired Kiri was keeping a close vigil, sailing alongside him as they leapt from branch to branch of the tree-top canopy so that he could provide any medical assistance if necessary. With some difficulty, Tango, with his portable Chakra Transmission Communication Device strapped securely on his back, managed to express his thoughts, and reveal whatever little he knew about the leeching effects of a legendary ninja tool revered to have belonged to the Sage of the Six Paths.

"Well, she doesn't seem as if she's in any way weakened or having her chakra drained!" Tokuma exclaimed, this time with an obvious tinge of pride as his wondrous dojutsu abilities allowed him to study the unravelling scenes diligently, his white eyes shining in undisguised relish at witnessing one of his young Konoha comrades taking point in such an audacious manner. "Right now, she's... she's firing a barrage of steel projectiles imbued with lightning at him! Utterly unbelievable!"

"If she's that great, why is HQ still activating us... still sending us on this mission even though General Mifune and those Samurai are still dealing with Kimimaro?" spat Jikyo derisively as she sprang lithely from lower branch to an upper, her disdainful words a total contradiction to how she had been defending Tenten earlier. The female Iwa Jounin's contempt for Konoha's ninja was barely veiled here, her antipathetic hostility clearly reminiscent of the days when she had ruthlessly sacrificed many of her own Iwagakure Genin when she attacked the border of the Land of Fire three years back. "Seems like we're just being sent on a wild goose chase for nothing, if you ask me, Konoha cur!"

"This is the last warning, Jikyo, before I drag you back to your division again," growled the bearded Iwagakure male in Kankuro's original squad, his ire for his fellow villager having hit a critical point as well. "We do what we're told, and you wanted to follow us on your own accord! Do what you must in battle later, but I will not stand your impertinence any longer, you get that?"

Kankuro almost chortled at how the red-faced Jikyo held her tongue thereafter, Ittan's blunt warning working its magic almost at once. It was apparent to everyone present how the brown-haired kunoichi had a soft spot for the gruff _Doton_ warrior and his indomitable presence, her brash behaviour now drastically mellowed to nothing more than a meek demeanour bringing up the rear of the flank. Still, the Suna puppeteer could not help but steal a sweeping scan of the kunoichi bristling in her own indignant wrath, noticing once again how much she seemed to resemble a well-known kunoichi who had hailed from his own village and was reportedly revived by Kabuto as well, battling the Division Three forces helmed by one of Konohagakure's most renowned Kakashi Hatake. From the tightly knotted bun on the top of her head to the thick locks framing her face, Jikyo really brought to Kankuro's mind the image of one who had been famed and feared for being one of the very few beings who practised _Shakuton_ techniques, Pakura of the Sand.

"Captain Kankuro... you do know that we're still being trailed by... by her, aren't you?"

Though his skills might not be as advanced as Tokuma who was celebrated as one of Konoha's and the Hyuuga clan's best _Byakugan_ practitioners, Hohetu Hyuuga had been an exigent asset in Kankuro's platoon, having dispelled several of the enemy's crafty assaults for the past day. Just like his younger fellow clansman, he had been demonstrating much of his bravura and willingness to sacrifice his own safety in the face of grave peril. Right now, he was traveling in step with the Suna Jounin, the prominent creases under his eyes now deeply enhanced by the activation of his _Byakugan_ prowess at work, his brown ponytail tied in a top knot whipping backwards as they flew ahead.

"Lady Chiyo seems... unrelenting, yet... I can still sense she's holding back,"the unflappable Kirigakure swordsman Ganryuu added, keeping his cleaver-blade strapped to his back as he sprinted forward. "Even back when our troops were being cut down by Hanzo and his salamander, and that treacherous Otogakure bone demon, she just seemed more... subtle in her assaults than her counterparts."

Nodding sullenly, Kankuro readjusted the Kuroari puppet on his back, noting that his Akatsuki _Edo_ prisoner Deidara had stayed uncharacteristically silent for some time. He bade Hohetu to continue studying Lady Chiyo's presence, slightly mortified that the former puppet mistress was still mulishly pursuing them despite the appearance of Naruto Uzumaki's flashy chakra-imbued clone. Just like the pertinacity the ex-Otogakure ninja Kimimaro was still displaying when he was given the command to lead his battalion and some of Mifune's troops elsewhere to render assistance, it seemed that Chiyo was also unwilling to abandon whatever agenda she possessed in her undead form. Hohetu assured him that he would, adding that he had also noticed that some of Division Four's troops seemed to have been commanded to make their way towards the elemental furore occurring near the western coasts of the Land of Lightning, several of them _tessenjutsu_ users wielding giant iron fans.

"It could be Temari and her team then," replied Kankuro jocundly, the trademark smirk appearing on his face as a familiar jolt of brotherly affections took over his senses momentarily. Knowing that the common adversary seemed to be starkly aggrandised versions of individuals from the Takumi Village wielding extraordinary ninja tools, the puppeteer understood that their abilities must have been augmented to a highly exalted level to warrant the sterling strategist Shikaku Nara to manipulate the Alliance troops in this manner, even when the White Zetsu threat was already being suitably subdued by Naruto's clones' appearances across the lands. He also understood that Division One seemed to somehow be taking the brunt of Kabuto's acrimonious conniptions, with some of his heaviest hitters having desecrated much of General Darui's battalions to a devastating extent.

"So I guess my elder sister's still trying to show me up, even during times of war. Let's see which group will reach the beaches first and..."

"No time for such childish reverie, I'm afraid, Captain!" Tokuma bellowed hoarsely as he dropped several feet to land lightly in a crouching position on the rocky ground. "My _Byakugan_... it's detecting new _Edo Tensei_ resurrections appearing... appearing out of nowhere and reaching General Darui and his soldiers! They must either have remained concealed all this time to spring a surprise attack, or just been summoned by Kabuto to provide reinforcements for the Takumi artisans! We need to hurry!"

"More _Edo Tensei_ zombies? How... how can you tell?"

Having been startled by the sudden appearance of the mysterious man with the upper part of his face wrapped up in his bandages and his Shinobi Alliance forehead protector drawn all over his eyes, Temari had to stop herself from visibly recoiling as she continued willing her legs to propel themselves forward. Recognising the grey suit beneath the green flak jacket as the signature uniform of the Konohagakure Torture and a Interrogation Force, the Division Four squad leader listened to the sensor's report, one seemingly just transmitted from his fellow Konoha brethren Inoichi Yamanaka at the headquarters.

"Tonbo's right, Temari-_chan_," a more familiar voice spoke, the female's gentle timorous lilt quite a palpable difference from the rash and harsh tone Tonbo Tobitake had used in arresting her attention. "Our headquarters is indeed warning us of these new additions. I think Kabuto is adamant in wiping out that particular Division One platoon or something... It's almost as if he enjoys torturing General Darui and his men, don't you think?"

Nae's odd lack of brevity as she echoed Tonbo's words did little to calm Temari's frazzled nerves; the dark-haired Suna sensor was a freshly promoted Chunin who had been Isago's apprentice in her very Genin days and seemed to be taking things strangely in her stride, despite the catastrophic depredations that the Division Four troops had had to endure within the past hour. The less experienced kunoichi's cheery nature somehow irked Temari much more than the constantly overzealous adoration of her brother the Kazekage by the fervidly infatuated quartet made up of Matsuri, Ittetsu, Yukata and Sari, perhaps because even she was still recovering from their neoteric escapade from the near total annihilation bestowed upon them by Madara Uchiha's _Tengai Shinsei_ technique that had sent meteorites crashing down from the heavens.

Meteorites. From the heavens.

The chaos that engulfed the troops had been indubitably horrific and insurmountably tumultuous, but substantial numbers had still been saved thanks to the combined efforts of her brother Gaara and Iwagakure's Tsuchikage Onoki, the latter almost sacrificing his life in the process of activating his own retaliatory prowess against Madara's fearsome power. There was nothing else they could do but leave the battle to the five assembled Kages; the headquarters had instructed all divisions to move all forces ahead to aid the two Jinchuuriki, Naruto Uzumaki of Konohagakure and Killer Bee of Kumogakure, in their final stand with the mysterious masked man thought previously to have been the fearsome terror that was Madara himself.

"It's okay to be afraid, Lady Temari. After all that's happened, I am actually feeling very skittish myself too."

The female Jounin felt a firm grip on her right shoulder, and Isago's masculine baritone filled her senses even though he had whispered those endearingly soothing words softly only to her. Temari turned slightly to see the right-hand man of her mentor Baki flashing a rarely seen feeble smile, the cloth of his turban flapping gently in the ricocheting breeze, at times masking the man's angular, strong jaw-line and deep troughs under his eyes. She felt her rigid shoulders lose their tension, the sudden onset of tears pooling around the edges of Isago's eyes greeting her own blazing irises; the news that Baki's daughter Taki had perished in the hands of the resurrected form of Kujaku, the ruthlessly cold-blooded kunoichi she had battled and vanquished years ago with Shikamaru, had been conveyed by Tonbo and his partners Mozuku and Shimon Hijiri just minutes ago. Being the godfather to Baki's daughters, the ever loyal Jounin sensor was requisitely grieving, though he still attempted to maintain his usual calm and composed self no matter how badly the storm was raging within.

The blonde wind manipulator returned Isago's warm gesture with a gentle squeeze of his cold hand, swallowing the lump in her throat as she noted Nae's supposedly apathetic expression, one that froze for a split second before switching simultaneously to a gentler, more benign look when she saw how conflicted her deified and venerated mentor had to be feeling. Once she caught Temari's gaze however, the young woman hardened her stance again, quipping methodically, "You need to be strong, Temari-chan. You need to be strong, for all of us here who're still fighting... for all those who have lost their lives in the carnage."

Blinking stupidly as she felt her breath escape her gaping mouth, she felt herself bristling at the audacity of the words that had been expelled in such a matter-of-fact manner, in a way that seemed devoid of any of the respect that Nae had been consciously showing towards Isago, and even Tonbo and company whom she had to have only just met the day before. Weirdly though, the elder sister of the Kazekage found herself at a loss for words, her usual quick temper seemingly extinguished, as if her former self had been subjugated by the recent ordeals the troops had had to undergo. It was as if Temari was feeling that it was an utterly surreal out-of-body experience for her at the moment, as if she could still not grasp how she and the surrounding shinobi were actually still alive and breathing. She found herself unable to tear her eyes away from Nae's brown irises, as if the youth's fervent stare had a hypnotic effect that was impossible to ignore.

It was only when Nae's gloved hand reached out to tenderly wipe the wetness off her ashen cheek did she realise that her own tears had been flowing freely as well, that she had been biting down on her quivering lower lip to stifle her sobs.

"We are all scared too, Temari-_chan_, but you need to lead us in our battles ahead. We have... have another chance... compared to the comrades who lost their lives back at the senseless, fatuous massacre, something so... so asinine that someone as... inexperienced in battle as me can't even strive to comprehend. But you... you're Sunagakure's wind goddess, the most esteemed of them all. You're the Kazekage's sister, the diplomat between Sunagakure and Konohagakure, where I've enjoyed traveling to for its hot springs, all thanks to your work. You're a fighter and a leader, Temari-_chan_, and whatever you're leading us towards now, we will follow you because we know we can rely on you, because we know we want to fight for you and the Kazekage. Because we believe in you, and what the Kazekage believes in, in helping Naruto Uzumaki in this war. So, take these moments to grieve and cry or whatever, but we need you to get it out of your system fast, because within the next few minutes, we will need your leadership once again. If even the girl you so soundly beat to a pulp at the Chunin exams three years ago is still fighting the enemy against all odds, you should be doing the same as well."

With that astounding speech still riling her senses and prickling every nerve ending, Temari found herself faltering behind Nae and the Konoha trio, who bolted past her as they followed Isago's trail. The dampness on her flushed cheeks felt both degrading yet soothing at the same time, the rivulets continuing to caress her chin and neck and melding with her perspiration. Chest heaving as she inhaled deeply, the Jounin watched on as her hastily assembled squad rumbled past her wordlessly, the two dozen soldiers all accepting the fact that they had been separated from their own division that had been ordered by Headquarters to forge ahead towards Naruto first. Nae's meticulously chosen words were re-igniting the fire in her belly, the various mentions stirring her core and releasing chemicals that were indeed quelling the unbounded fears and insecurities that had exploded within at the sight of Madara's Heavenly Obstacle Quaking Star technique.

Though it was the stalwarts at the Shinobi Headquarters who had sent word to the sensors to update Temari about the Four Celestial Symbols men she had reported in earlier, it was the _Tessenjutsu_ user who had made the decision to break away from her battalion which she had left under Kumogakure advisor Dodai's charge for now, in order to provide aid. It never occurred to her that her vulnerabilities were so openly exposed in her stricken state, but Temari of the Sand now curled her lips up into a wry smile, almost like the sneer she had worn when an utterly distressed _bukijutsu_ specialist had landed grievously on top of her Iron Fan back when her own intentions had been that much more depraved and flagitious.

"Don't worry, Tenten of Konohagakure," she muttered under her breath as she picked up her pace again, her left hand gripping on to the cold metallic bottom of her bestowed weapon. "I won't let you take all the glory of defeating these _Edo Tensei_ resurrections alone with your newfangled tool. Wait for me!"

"_Gatenga_!"

Rolling her way out of yet another innocuous and nugatory assault, Tsume Inuzuka leapt out of harm's way as she separated her pliant form from her equally mercurial _ninken_, landing a credible distance away from the fiery cannonball as she powered down from her Fang Rotating Fang technique. Ever ready to pounce on their staunchly unyielding foe, the snarling kunoichi was about to follow Kitsuchi and Kurotsuchi's rocky assailment before her pesky nose picked up new scents in the midst of the burning earth. Realising that they had appeared out of nowhere and were incredulously stale, the woman spun around sharply to parry a blow that would have caught her completely off-guard had her senses been less alert. Wincing slightly as her arm struck out against a cudgel, Tsume ducked swiftly as her opponent swung the monk-staff once more, kicking out at his legs the same time in order to throw him off balance. Taking the opportunity to vault backwards, she found herself joined not only by Kuroumaru but by her two Hyuuga comrades as well - their _Byakugan_ must have detected these new disturbances, although surprisingly late, indicating that their new attackers could have concealed themselves extremely well with unorthodox techniques and taken advantage of the ensuing chaos to wreck more havoc now.

"Ah, my dear friends from Konohagakure, all lined up in place," this umpteenth reprehensible symbol of abomination leered as he raised his torso and his _Shakujou_ monk-staff, his long white hair floating in the aftermath of Tenten's potent wind gusts from a distance away. Several figures were rising from the ground behind him as he addressed his befuddled audience with delirious glee plastered on his ruddy complexion. "I hope you haven't forgotten Furido after all this while... or do you remember me as Kazuma instead? Why the shock, comrades? Don't you recognise us _Shugonin Juunishi_ members? Don't you recognise the sworn protectors of the Land of Fire, the Twelve Guardian Ninja, once led by your precious Asuma Sarutobi?"


	127. Chapter 127

**Part 11: History and Her Story (17)**

"You need to power down."

The youth blinked, not immediately recognising the female voice that was directed at him, until the steely resolution of the hushed tone she was using registered in his muddled mind. Almost stumbling in mid-step as he attempted to gather his thoughts in response to the kunoichi's obvious emphasis on the second word of her curt imperative, the young Jounin turned to face the olive-skinned Kumo kenjutsu user, whose amber eyes were burning with the same fervent intensity that seemed never to recede no matter the myriad circumstances the division had been plagued with ever since the soldiers had plunged straight into the throes of battle the day before.

"You need to stop using your _Byakugan_ for now, Hyuuga. Stop making your friends worry about you."

While Karui was simply repeating what his Konohagakure peers had been telling him since he collapsed the night before, Neji Hyuuga did not retaliate as violently as he had towards an incensed Kiba Inuzuka who had been utterly riled up that his friend's eyesight had deteriorated so badly that he could mistaken his human friend for his ninken. Instead, Neji appeared more stumped than anything else even as he willed the bumpy capillaries around his eyes to subside, somewhat perplexed by the red-haired female's unexpected intrusion. Based on what he had observed, Karui's sassy snarls and contemptuous scowls made up most of her repertoire of facial expressions, if she was not making explosively snarky retorts to Kiba's equally nerve-chafing harangues. Uncertain if he had obeyed her out of prostration or simply because his act of deference was indeed already sending a copious amount of relief washing through his system, the male Hyuuga teen could scarcely muster a response as he followed his fellow division mates in vaulting over the cliff's ledge to reach lower ground.

"Turn right! That's the direction where HQ is directing us!"

Despite Hinata Hyuuga being a few dozen steps ahead, Neji could still make out her distinctive voice before his sandaled feet touched solid ground, his hair billowing in the resultant breeze as he sailed through the air currents downwards. The troops were pretty much moving in imperturbable silence; while most soldiers were still reeling from the victory attained over the White Zetsu impostors that they had been scuffled with for long hours, they were also now very aware of the precipice they were hurling themselves towards. The skies rumbled minatorily together with their thundering footsteps, an ominous forewarning of the potential perils awaiting them in the face of Kabuto Yakushi and the masked Madara's dark, malevolent forces.

While his cousin, the heiress of the Hyuuga clan, had exhibited much hesitation and incertitude even as the Shinobi Alliance had gathered at and been deployed from Kumogakure, it seemed as if her feistiness had since increased by leaps and bounds as compared to the day before. Even if Naruto Uzumaki's clone had dissipated in a puff of smoke a while ago, Hinata's passionate vivacity seemed to remain unbridled, her previously more muted presence in the division now dynamically revoked by her current Byakugan precedence as Neji's replacement as one of the main squad leaders who had taken over the platoons since General Kitsuchi's departure.

With the young Jounin's prowess presently caught in a jam somehow, his reputation as one of the Hyuuga clan's ingenious prodigies at stake, it was undeniably baffling and diabolically opprobrious to be relegated to the background. Still, this was definitely not the reason for Neji continuing to impel his _Byakugan_ despite it overly straining and exhausting his chakra reserves - it was Hinata's starkly overwrought gasp of "Tenten-_chan_!" minutes back that had incited him to fire up whatever leftover juice he had just to catch a fleeting, blurry glimpse of his plucky teammate summoning insurmountable cascading waves that crashed through swathing flames with a brazen wave of a genteel-looking feather fan. Before he could even cohere his shredded thoughts, as he breathed the repeated syllable of her name, his extended vision caught sight of Tenten ricocheting off a particularly puissant wind blast conjured by her cackling foe before his inherited abilities failed him for the umpteenth time in the past hours.

"The sensors say that the Division One forces have just received reinforcements... they'll be helping your girlfriend and her allies with whatever threats they're facing. The fact that you and your cousin can ... see her now, means we're all going to converge and you will be reunited with her very soon. Stay focused, Hyuuga boy. Stay calm, and stay focused."

Karui's persistence in providing her insights might have appeared hypocritical earlier, since she had done nothing but acted cynical and condescending especially whenever she had her blatant skirmishes with Kiba. Now, with his vulnerabilities so openly exposed in the wake of the White Zetsu Tenten clone impersonator and having met Death's door a few more times the past day, the surprisingly complaisant Kumo swordswoman's concern was more than appreciated. Just like how Hana Inuzuka had reached out to him with her comforting words, Karui's unexpected amiability did touch Neji's heartstrings, reminding him just how cogent camaraderie could be in the face of dangers and adversities, even if it was necessitated due to the bizarre possibility of the world being totally conquered by tyrannical villainy.

Acknowledging her words with an agreeable nod apart from almost objecting the 'girlfriend' comment, the Konoha teen turned his head away from Karui's yellow earrings flashing in the setting sun's hovering rays, his thoughts still careening agitatedly from finally capturing Tenten in his realm of vision after more than thirty hours of their separation. His last envisagement however was digging up memories of her humiliating defeat three years ago during their first Chunin exams, when Tenten had been similarly enveloped in the buffaloing ruckus dealt up by a certain blonde wind enchantress from Sunagakure. Recalling how hapless she had been in Temari's blustery upheavals, the vivid imagery of her bare skin and clothes being sliced repeatedly in mid-air still capable of arousing a deep sense of anger and regret that he had not been as discerning as Lee back then to render any form of support, Neji bit on his upper lip as he resisted the urge to rally his Konoha friends and simply defect from the division's destined trail, in order to reach Tenten's current position. For now, considering his abilities' current state of disarray, he could do little else than pray fervidly that his most recent vision of the weaponry fanatic being slammed to the desiccated earth would not be a recapitulation of her utter defeat at the hands of the Kazekage's sister.

"Get your ass off the ground, Konoha punk!"

Feeling her overly exerted body aching at specific areas she did not even know existed, Tenten was already almost scrambling to her feet after falling prey to Hoki's latest wind gust when the sharply familiar voice rang in her ears. With the abrupt materialisation of the Twelve Guardian Ninja members and Kazuma's elemental lackeys, the troops were being stretched pretty thin in their valorous attempts to hold off more of Kabuto's reincarnated zombies. Unwilling to risk more large-scale devastations like the day before, Darui had commanded the rest of the Division One platoons at the beaches to heed Shikaku Nara's orders to head towards Naruto and Killer Bee's location to help the duo against the masked Madara, while the rest of them stayed behind to handle the flagrantly renitent Takumi artisan and his new reinforcements.

With the rest of her comrades fighting Kazuma and his men, Tenten had had to take point with Hoki with the Bashosen, with strong support from the two division generals and Kurotsuchi. The scene was gravely reminiscent of the preceding day when they had had to content with _Edo_ Kakuzu's masks, since apart from Hoki's numinous ninja tools, some of Kazuma's men were also capable of summoning concentrated elemental blasts that were ravaging the terrain. It was as if Kabuto was hell bent on extinguishing Darui's troops, with his latest wave of _Edo Tensei_ resurrections tearing across the land with delirious glee, all ostensibly behaving like deranged maniacs as they clashed rapaciously with the Alliance soldiers. Amidst the excavating earth tremors, riotous squalls and volleying water spouts, Tenten had been keeping her own eyes fixed on the demented Hoki and his sacramental blades, flying back and forth with her own arsenal and her equally aggressive comrades.

"_Kuchiyose: Kirikiri Mai_!"

A one-eyed sickle-wielding weasel manifested out of thin air with the swing of the user's Giant Folding Fan, riding the tempest that had been summoned. The ever sullen and severe Katamari slashed across the horizon with the buffeting winds, whipping through Hoki's counteractive wind hails and fiery swaths, engaging in a clangorous melee battle with the lengthy urumi-like appendages of the Garian sword attached to his back. Tenten stared at the wonted smirk on the summoner's face as the new entrant's Quick Beheading Dance went underway, blinking insensately at the three purple circles along the metallic body of the _Kyodai Sensu_ in the owner's hands.

"So, I see you found your own fan. Pretty ironic, considering our... past scuffle, isn't it?"

Temari's teal eyes were blazing as she addressed the gaping Chunin, whose own brown eyes were shimmering in bewilderment by the fortuitous appearance of buttressing reinforcement squads, in particular the Sunagakure kunoichi whose blonde hair was gathered in four spiky ponytails. Tenten looked at the red and white frond she was holding on to, before turning back to the other fan-wielding female on site; memories of their past battle flashed in her mind within a split second but she knew she had no time to be warped in her own musings. As their eyes met again, both girls exhaled quickly as they nodded in endorsement of each other's unnerved, battered presence, directing their attention towards their common heathen enemy still roiling in rage while hitting out at Temari's sneaky pet summon with his swords.

"Don't keep hogging the fun, sis! _Kungutsu no Jutsu_! _Kikou Junbuu_!"

Following Temari's attack, the Fourth Kazekage's second sibling leapt into view, using his advanced Puppeteer Techniques with almost invisible chakra strings and his Sasori puppet. A cursory glance revealed that Kankuro had applied purple facial paint in yet another pattern, and the Suna Jounin was commanding Sasori to navigate the air currents while activating its Mechanical Light Shield Seal, the mechanism inside the puppet opening its arms into a couple of segments, through which Kankuro radiated his chakra. The chakra emission spun itself out like a thin film and turned itself into a protective sheet, causing the chakra streaks blasted out by the Gariantou's tensile segmented blades to splash feebly against it.

"Tenten! We have a chance now!" Darui hollered as he landed with one knee and his cleaver on the ground for support, his usual lackadaisical drawl replaced by a much more exigent tone. "Now that there're more of us, Hoki won't be able to repel everything we throw at him, since now we can beset him with all five elements at once! You'll be able to invoke whatever element we lack!"

"We've got to bring him down and help the others with the rest of the _Edo Tensei_ zombies!" Kurotsuchi snapped as she emerged from the ground. "The whole place is running amok with them, and everyone else is trying to subdue them for the sealers to do their job!"

"Hoki's still wearing that Infinite Armour which is what's absorbing most of our assaults and our chakra!" Tenten reminded her comrades, her throat parched beyond belief by the infernal heat that was surely causing skin to blister. "And the chakra dragons from his Garian Sword are keeping us all at bay... keeping us from getting close to him!"

"Those... orbs... those floating orbs that he's perched on... and keeping him airborne..." Kitsuchi grunted as he emerged from beneath the earth's surface, having dove right into the ground before in order to escape Hoki's chakra dragon. "We need to destroy them, so that he can't evade our attacks as easily as he's doing now."

Temari inhaled quickly, a sense of recognition flashing in her eyes as she turned abruptly to look at her brother, whose own expression indicated that the words of the Iwagakure leader had registered a semblance of recollection in his own mind as well. Tenten gasped as she noticed how alacritous Kankuro's reaction was, his cracked knuckles already moving in accordance to the deftness of his fingers; the astonishingly lissome red-haired Akatsuki marionette, in response to its master's manipulation of the chakra threads connected to its impossibly life-like structure, was soaring straight into Hoki's trajectory, swerving past the _Edo's_ elemental slashes and activating the pipes attached to its limbs. As if acting out of its own spontaneity, Sasori was now shooting streams of water and fire simultaneously from its water jets and flamethrowers, counteracting the wind and fiery summons from Hoki's blades. Alarmed that he had an opponent that had managed to get this much closer to him, the resurrected zombie expelled an infuriated rout as he retreated further up into the air riding the bluish glowing orbs, with Sasori in incandescently hot pursuit.

"Good job, Captain Kankuro! Keep him as busy as possible!" Darui exclaimed as his hands crackled with his signature Black Lightning tendrils, signaling yet another upcoming bout of his unique Storm Release jutsus. "General Kitsuchi, please remain close to Kankuro with your daughter, and prevent Hoki's attacks from reaching him! Tenten, Temari, follow my lead! _Kuroi Kaminari: Sanjuu Kuropansa_!"

As the Triple Black Panthers moulded by Darui's combination of his lightning and water-based chakra took flight, streaking across the air that was already charged with various forms of kinetic energy, the two kunoichi observed the scene with both rapt fascination and elevated urgency as they leapt forward, their moistened palms seemingly ligatured to their respective fans. The older female stole a fleeting glance at her Konohagakure comrade, an unexplainable grudging approbation filling her senses as she caught the unflinchingly vitriolic scowl of determination on the younger girl's face, an expression that was comparable to her own scathing disposition three years ago, back when she still an austerely aggressive and supercilious individual who had little qualm for the feeling of others. Recalling Nae's words that had forced the Sunagakure warrior to shake herself out of the temporary paralysis that seemed to have had a vise-like clutch on the fortitude that she had always been reputed to possess, Temari knew that though her brunette counterpart might not have faced the crippling power that the mighty Madara Uchiha wielded like she had, Tenten had valiantly fought and overcome her own share of fibrously belligerent adversaries the past day. Yet, she was following her general's commands to a T, running steadfastly alongside her current partner as the ground trembled from the multiple earth jutsus that were sending seisms across the land.

"Wait... something... something's not right..."

As the duo stepped lightly into the air to avoid the jagged rocks that had thrust themselves upwards from the earth, Tenten's earlier resolute stance was partially veiled by an understandably disconcerted frown. Similarly, just as Temari found herself vaulting past more earthy eruptions, she noticed that the terrain was undulating so violently that the tremors were affecting almost every single battle occurring simultaneously through the vicinity. The wind manipulator turned a quick somersault to catch sight of her brother safely guarded by the Iwagakure father and daughter team that had successfully propelled all the three of them out of harm's way by summoning a sturdy boulder that had risen at least a dozen metres above ground level.

"It must be some _Edo_ devil altering the terrain and throwing all of us off our game!" cried Temari as she watched how, an increasing distance away, Darui's jutsu was still chasing its target energetically together with Kankuro's Sasori puppet. "He's obviously trying to delay us from reaching..."

The blonde kunoichi stopped speaking as soon as she landed, realising that Tenten had fallen a few metres behind, half-squatting as she held the Bashosen in one hand while she touched the ground with the other. Just as Temari's brows were about to meet in indignation, the Chunin's soft mumbling of the name "Ino" arrested her attention; almost immediately, the Suna female understood that the Yamanaka teammate of her revered Nara peer must be communicating telepathically with her friend. A few seconds later, Tenten nodded with an assured look of cognizance, and with a quick lurch, started running forward again.

"Ino says there's an _Edo_ kunoichi named Fuen... hidden within the ground... she's detected her position to be somewhere near where Hoki is hovering at the moment, and she's the one causing all these movements," Tenten reported, an undisguised palliative look forming on her face after learning that her beloved friend was finally safe and sound. "I need work in synchronisation with her to..."

"Why can't she use her _Shintensen no Jutsu_ on Hoki? Won't that resolve..."

"She's still too weak to activate her more powerful techniques," Tenten revealed. "It was only with some trickery we employed that we managed to remove the Infinite Armour that her attacker was wearing, and save her from being entrapped in his mind. Now that Hoki is protected by it, whether he possesses mind prowess or not, I don't want to risk Ino's life again."

Before Temari could query any further, the _bukijutsu_ specialist divulged more details of the plan she had concocted in the preceding minute, exchanging just one more glance with her before she fusilladed ahead with a spurt of speed, demonstrating that Ino had managed to specify Fuen's position. Taking that as the semaphore for her to play her part, Temari planted her sandaled feet firmly on the quaking ground, her teal eyes sparkling in tremulous titillation as she observed how Darui's Black Lightning panthers were, although dissipating due to the Infinite Armour's incredulous abilities, still frying the ghastly reincarnated demon in his airborne state and greatly slowing his retrocession. Seeing that Tenten had also raised the sacred ninja tool previously helmed by Kumogakure's historically notorious Silver and Gold brothers, the Suna Jounin inhaled deeply before waving her own Giant Folding Fan, with her unheralded Konoha comrade doing the same with the Bashosen a dozen feet away.

"_Tsumuji Otoshi_!"

The invisible dynamic energy that burst forth from the atmosphere so taciturnly whirled its way hawkishly towards the temporarily suspended Hoki, who roared as obstreperously as the surrounding combatants once he learnt that he was now ensnared by the dual vortexes; with another dexterous swing, Temari was able to now control the rapidly spinning combined Tornado Drop technique until it caused the wrathful and discombobulated zombie to crash resoundingly into the rippling earth that was threatening to break apart from the undue stresses Fuen was creating. With a third motion of her metallic tool, the Suna kunoichi gave an involuntary growl as she commanded the frenzied vortex to continue drilling itself into the zombie, the kinetic energy pounding his well-armoured torso relentlessly and extricating muffled shrieks from his strangled vocal chords.

"_Raiso: Ikazuchi no Utage_!"

Almost at once, Tenten scaled the air currents, bidding Temari to do the same as she lifted the Bashosen to the skies and summoned several bolts of blue lightning that split the heavens apart as they speared themselves towards the ground. Within mere seconds of the bolts reaching the retching earth, the incessant cataclysms were abruptly halted, the area returning to its restful normalcy and bringing some short-lived reprieve to the Alliance soldiers as they continued battling their repugnant foes. Knowing that her Lightning Burial: Banquet of Lightning technique had indeed seared Fuen within the depths of the earth due to Ino's punctilious accuracy, Tenten hardly took a breath as she raced forward towards Hoki, deftly sealing the Bashosen back into her right scroll even as the lightning streaks carried on pulverising the incensed _Edo_ and the orbs that had granted him levitation and flight all this time.

"Tenten! Don't... don't get too close to him! What are you..."

"_Sogu: Shuen Senjin_!"

In awe of the elemental conundrum she had just witnessed, a truly flabbergasted Temari was following her past opponent's trail; what had caused her to become tongue-tied was how the air was now filled with multifarious blades and acuminate javelins, each and every single one of them imbued with an elemental power. With an athletic backflip, the lithe girl activated her Manipulated Tools: Thousand Blades Attack Performance move, sending her charged arsenal to torpedo towards Hoki's own, as well as a few other Edo Tensei resurrections that had surged forward in support. In no time at all, the flustered being, having regained some composure, was retaliating with his own ninja tools, the Infinite Armour and the Garian Sword's appendages and chakra dragons fending off Tenten's barrage, the latter group dancing madly in the air as they tried to prevent the blades from hitting their summoner. As the elementally imbued tools pierced violently through the elongated stretches of chakra emanating from the appendages strapped to the back, one after another, the snake-like appurtenances were soon thrashing feebly on the desiccated earth, rendered ineffectual by the kunoichi's pertinacious assaults.

"It... it's useless, wench!" Hoki blathered groggily as he finally got to his wobbling feet, struggling to steady himself as he rose from his previously deplorable state. "I can always summon my... my Garian dragons again... I have more than enough chakra stored in my Infinite Armour. You... you'll never be able to..."

The zombie almost had to eat his words as he raised his head, eyes widening as they took in the scene of the girl wearing her dark brown hair in twin buns bring an electrically charged gigantic axe down onto the last remaining chakra orb. Totally stumped, Hoki could barely conceal his stupefaction when the rolling sphere of glowing blue energy finally gave way and started evanescing into thin air, only to be absorbed by the Mechanical Light Shield Seal handled by the hovering Sasori puppet. Brown eyes filled with a distinctive glint, Tenten glowered at the affrighted being before turning a half-spin and launching the _Raiton_-leavened axe that flew right at him. Swinging his swords in a hurry and without the aid of his precious pets, it was simply too late for Hoki to bulwark the dozen fiery Fuma Shuriken that spun furiously towards him from all directions. Even though many of them were unable to inflict any permanent damage and had their cutlass blades broken off once they came into contact with the Infinite Armour, it was gratuitous for Tenten that she managed to cut the treacherous Gariantou urumi-blade fixtures off his back and seal them quickly into her scroll.

"Now then," Tenten finally smirked as she locked the scroll back into her left holster, knowing that her comrades had filed up nicely behind her as more landing footsteps were heard. "Let's keep things more... grounded, shall we?"


	128. Chapter 128

****Part 11: History and Her Story (18)****

"The tremors have stopped... that means Tenten's managed to take Fuen out with her Raiton summons with your directing her," Shikamaru breathed as he wiped the perspiration off his brow. "Good job, Ino."

"It seems like she's managed to accomplish more than that," Ibiki muttered as he peered across the horizon, squinting his eyes as he attempted to take in as much as he could. "Hoki... he's no longer airborne. That means she... Tenten... has somehow crippled his flight and levitation abilities."

"This is... Tenten we're talking about? Team Guy's Tenten? That weapons girl together with the Hyuuga boy?"

Though still slightly woozy from her latest telepathic exertion and not completely recovered from her ordeal with Suiko, Ino Yamanaka shot an icy glare at the bemused speaker, even if his eyes were obscured by his unsightly bangs and forehead protector. Before she could verbalise her disgruntlement at the obvious sense of demurring mockery in her fellow Konoha comrade's voice, her mentor had already unleashed his own harsh tirade at a very bewildered Shimon Hijiri, who was now staggering back against his teammates from the Konoha Torture and Interrogation Force, Tonbo Tobitake and Mawashi Dokuraku. Never imagining Ibiki to chastise his more junior member in such a heated manner as the stolid man snarled at him about the need to show more respect and decorum for an intrepid kunoichi who had "accomplished way much more the past day than the trio could ever imagine", Ino exchanged a knowing look with Shikamaru. The dark-haired teen was also studying the peculiar scene intently, his trademark sneer widening as he saw how Shimon was nodding and apologising profusely to whatever Ibiki was yelling at him, the Chunin now obviously having lost the initial glee he had portrayed at being reunited with his fellow grey-suited sensor peers.

"Seems you're right, Ino... definitely more than meets the eye. It's obvious there's some form of ... a delicate connection between him and Tenten, just like how Chouji and I were discussing earlier after fighting Hiruko," the Nara teen said through gritted teeth, staring at the overcast sky with wary concern. "Your suspicion all these weeks while training with him isn't unfounded after all."

"Tenten's been weird too," revealed Ino as she accepted her teammate's support while pulling herself up from the ground. "While we were battling the White Zetsu clones with Naruto's help just now, she seemed so... emotional... so vulnerable. We didn't have time to chat but I'm quite certain that Ibiki-_sensei_ must have..."

"If you have time to gossip about me, you have time to get back into the battle, Shikamaru!" Ibiki's triggered ire seemed unquenchable as his burning irises were now focused on the duo instead, his long trench coat flapping in the wind gusts that were billowing across from afar as he turned to stride back to the startled duo. "Leave Ino in my care and bring these three buffoons out into the battlefield! You need to regroup with Chouji and the Suna sealers, who have already taken out some of the new resurrections, but may lack the knowledge you have of the Twelve Guardians or Kazuma's other lackeys! Hurry! Close your gaping mouth and move!"

Frozen momentarily, the young strategist, face as equally flushed as his stricken female teammate, managed a curt duteous nod as he sprang back into the fray; Ibiki's unexpectedly churlish outburst stayed in Shikamaru's mind only for another fugaciously ephemeral period as he studied the rolling clouds up in the increasingly darkening skies. The heavens groaned riotously, as if heaving in their efforts to push the infinitely burdensome and parturient clouds out of the way, and the teen knew that his shadow techniques might prove negligible and inappreciable in a while especially with the sun close to setting as well. Intending to sprint the next hundred metres to reach a garguantan Chouji, he directed Ibiki's team of eager beavers towards Aoba's cawing crows currently clawing and pecking at a totally rattled and unhinged purple-haired male _Edo_ who was unable to summon much moisture from the exsiccated rocky ground.

"That's Ruiga... one of the Criminal brothers that Naruto fought together with Chouji after they established a coup d'état and killed the daimyo of the Land of Vegetables," Shikamaru's wheels were once again spinning profusely as he darted ahead of his comrades. "Proficient in dispelling _genjutsu_ too but with Ibiki-_sensei's_ sensors helping Aoba, it shouldn't be too much of a hassle... And Kurenai-_sensei_ is battling Kusuna of the Gang of Four, whom Neji killed back at the Land of Demons several years back! Curses... this damned Kabuto... he's really raising hell for us once again with this secondary back-up team for Hoki!"

The elemental tempest in the middle of the sprawling arena was preventing the Chunin from progressing further, but a glimpse of a blonde female combatant clad in standard Sunagakure attire with her Giant Folding Fan caused his heart to skip a beat; as he took refuge behind the enlarged left calf of his previously rotund buddy, his ardent eyes roved with much appetence at the scene of two fan-wielding kunoichi expertly scampering past Hoki's fiery blasts before twisting their lithe torsos and activating their own requiting efforts - Temari with her Wind Cutter technique that facilely allayed incoming wind gusts, while Tenten's Bashosen tore up the atmosphere with yet another _Suiton_ umbrage that deluged moilingly across the land.

The former had stunned Shikamaru with her unforeseen appearance, for he could not imagine how Temari would leave her brother's side to lead another reinforcement team, considering how it was a relatively short time after Baki and Ko's troops had helped salvage the situation with Kujaku earlier. Chouji was already exclaiming gleefully how she must have rushed all the way here upon learning that Shikamaru was embroiled in yet another rampageous skirmish with more of Kabuto Yakushi's wretched _Edo Tensei_ reincarnations, and the Nara youth's own emotions were instantaneously raveled in a eclectic mixture of jubilation and disgruntlement at the realisation that his teammate could be utterly right. From the distance, he could observe how the team that had latched on to the last revived Celestial Symbol swordsman had lost most members due to other _Edos_ distracting them and luring them away from Hoki; despite losing the _Gariantou's_ serpentine constructs and his ability to take flight, his remaining ninja tools were still performing their defensive duties pretty well. This unlikely team-up between Temari and Tenten was now only bolstered by Kankuro and his pesky Sasori puppet, the latter causing the persecuted zombie much grief with its meddlesome moves that were preventing him from lashing out directly at his opponents.

"Chouji! Remember to stay away from the Infinite Armour!" Shikamaru finally managed to tear his gaze away from the Kazekage's sister despite the turmoil of feelings that were hitting him in the gut. "We can't feed Hoki with your huge chakra reserves and..."

"And what, Shikamaru?" the Akimichi clan's heir almost yelled aloud in obvious contravention to his friend's words, his colossal right fist currently holding down an overthrown Setsuna, one of Kusuna's teammates, as a Suna sealer's cloth coiled over him, the _Edo's_ dual sickle blades and shuriken protruding harmlessly out of his assailant's sturdy, chakra-enhanced forearm. "That... that pompous imbecile has been stringing us along for a while now, just like how Suiko was acting so contemptuous when he was wearing that vile armour! I should just..."

"No, Chouji, not when so many lives are at stake here," Shikamaru patted his friend's boot awkwardly. "Just like Hiruko earlier, we can't be rash. I know you want to help bring that Edo down, but we can't afford to let that armour siphon your chakra. Leave Hoki to Tenten and Temari for now, and let's go help the others deal with Asuma-sensei's fellow Twelve Guardian members!"

"We just need one hit, Shikamaru, just one direct hit to bring him down for a few seconds, and we can seal him!" the exasperated youth gave a forlorn look as he removed the ninja tools poking out of his arm and the Suna nin finished her job with Setsuna. He turned his gigantic form towards the scene one last time, his eyes laced with worry and resentment at the sight of his comrades' never-ending scuffle against a resurrected demon who had basically nothing to lose, before he heaved a resigned sigh and nodded at Shikamaru. The Nara teen allowed himself one last poignant look at Temari's agile form, marveling momentarily at the female Jounin's dexterity and skill, before he climbed onto Chouji's extended palm together with two sealing team members and scaled the air currents with his friend.

"You do know you're not getting off that easily, right?"

Ibiki Morino faltered in his steps, hardly able to believe these audaciously insolent words that had been spoken in such a irenically placid manner. He turned to face the speaker, who was now being treated by medical nins from the reinforcement teams, with their pulsing palms on her back. Ino's intense gaze was filled with fervour, her blue orbs locked on to Ibiki's own dark irises. Kiri and Nae were both trying intently to avoid the Tokubetsu Jounin's equally cutting glower as they performed their _Shosen_ _Jutsu_ to speed up their patient's natural healing process, but their curiosity was obviously pricked by the outlandish manner that the blonde Yamanaka was adopting as she continued verbalising her thoughts.

"Whatever's going on between you and Tenten, Ibiki-_sensei_, you need to resolve it quickly. She's... hurting... so badly, yet she's still fighting out there, putting her life at risk the past two days countless times. You know she deserves to know the truth, especially when at any time... Tenten... or any one of us for that matter... can meet her end on the battlefield. Hayate Gekkou was her uncle and you knew that all along, so you must have had your reasons for keeping their relationship a secret all these years. Whatever they may be, now that things are already at this stage, you need to..."

In an unprecedented split second, the Chunin almost doubled over in mid-sentence, her upper body teetering forward as if she had been pushed from behind by the two bewildered medics; Kiri and Nae had sprung back and adopted battle-ready stances, and Ibiki could already sense the young Suna kunoichi pumping up her sensory techniques even as he cried out Ino's name. Before he could reach her however, the Chunin raised her hand to signal her stunned comrades to stall their approach.

"It's... it's not an attack... someone... someone's trying to make contact," Ino gasped as she met Ibiki's dilated pupils, knowing that he must be galled that this 'someone' could actually break through the mental barricades he had hoisted in the wake of her tribulation with Suiko. "She... she's an _Edo Tensei_... a resurrection... but... but she wants to... she wants to help us."

"_Raigo: Senjujatsu_."

Kurotsuchi beckoned her comrades to hold back, steeling herself for the enemy's unorthodox technique that she had never witnessed before. The reincarnated bald, bare-footed ninja monk she was facing together with her fellow Iwa peers was taking a specific stance, with his left hand making a half-ram, and then extending his right with his palm parallel to the ground. Almost at once, the surrounding shinobi were all visibly bowled over by the summon of the Thousand-Armed _Kannon_ by the ex-Konoha monk, the image of the colossal spirit overwhelming them all. Though the spirit held an angelic and peaceful disposition for a few moments, its quiescent yellowish aura quickly shifted to a seething red, and the spirit now appeared more like a deranged demon rather than a majestically beautiful bodhisattva.

"That's Chiriku and his Welcoming Approach: Thousand-Armed Murder technique!" Shikamaru hollered as he landed close behind Kurotsuchi. "We need to get out of his range before..."

"We don't need you to tell us what to do, Konoha brat!" the spitfire Jikyo expectorated acridly, once again raising her voice to make her brashness heard. "We Iwagakure soldiers will never pay heed to Konoha curs like you and we never retreat from a fight!"

"You need to stand down, Jikyo!" Kurotsuchi barked, raising her torso in preparation to heed the Nara teen's words. "Shikamaru is our top strategist here, and you do not speak out of turn again, understand me?"

"What the hell has got into everyone today?" the embittered swordswoman wailed as she lowered her blade, a look of wounded disbelief washing over her spiteful countenance. "Have you all forgotten that we hate these damned Konoha's shinobi and..."

"No Jikyo, you're the one who's forgotten that we are fighting a war here, and that these 'Konoha shinobi' you're cursing have been saving our asses these two days!" came the intrusive retort as the Tsuchikage's granddaughter signalled for her team to fall back while grabbing her odiously wrathful kunoichi roughly and leaping backwards. "If Shikamaru bids us to retreat, then that's what we do!"

Before Jikyo could offer any other inflammatory response, her stricken eyes widened in befuddled consternation as the _Edo_ zombie commanded his spirit summon to begin its assailment. The demonic sprite was soon pummeling the earth with its uncountable arms, wrecking the rock-hard ground into pieces, making the belligerent woman realise that if she had taken refuge in the ground as she was used to in any adverse situation, she and any of her fellow _Doton_ peers could have easily been torn apart by the annihilative impact. While Shikamaru was giving more instructions to Kurotsuchi, Jikyo found her mind warped in a reeling daze as she witnessed how the Akimichi giant was now valiantly brawling with the serenely pacific _Edo_; Chouji's behemoth form was bearing the brunt of Chiriku's unrestrained berserk assault, the chestnut-haired youth roaring with fortitude even as his mammoth body continued taking multiple hits.

"Look at them... just open your eyes and look at them, Jikyo," Ittan muttered as he grabbed her inert, limp body and placed her behind the half-constructed earth dome he had conjured. At this moment, four Hyuuga warriors - Hiashi, Ko, Hohetu and Tokuma - were all performing bountiful air-borne _Kaitens_, the rapidly spinning blue spheres warding off as many of Chiriku's blows as possible and aiding Chouji in his explosive direct confrontation with the spiritual demonic leviathan. "I told you earlier on, you need to get off your high horse and rid your insane animosity for the Konoha shinobi. Even Kurotsuchi, who used to share your hostile grudges, has obviously had a change of heart. She's been working so closely with that Konoha weapons girl the past day! We are all fighting for the shinobi world, Jikyo. I need you to see that, and work with all of us. And that includes helping the Konoha shinobi under any circumstances. Do you understand that?"

Whether it was the opportunity to be in such close, intimate proximity with the ruggedly charismatic gentleman whom she had had a crush on for the longest time, or the fact that she was actually genuinely awestruck by how Chouji and his fellow villagers were now succeeding in mowing down the _Kannon_ monstrosity, the previously fiery and wanton woman was now suitably subdued. Adopting a much more benign and tractable tone, the miraculously mellowed fighter allowed Ittan to lead her a few yards back where Kurotsuchi and Shikamaru were still whispering in hushed tones, her eyes meeting the other kunoichi's with a much less astringent manner, her way of informing her esteemed peer that she was more than willing to cooperate now.

"_Akahigi: Kiki Sankaku_!"

Weaving his chakra strings deftly, the savvy puppet master commanded his puppet's head to detach itself before launching an onslaught of triangular blades from Sasori's neck and palms that shot straight at Hoki. The explosive balls attached to them detonated one after another, forcing the rabid _Edo_ to keep his distance and concentrate on parrying the explosions with his blades.

"Good... Kankuro's combined his own Black Secret Technique Machine One Shot with Sasori's Performance of a Hundred Puppets," Temari panted as she lowered her fan, absent-mindedly wiping the perspiration off her brow. "At least... at least we can take a breather for a few seconds while we prepare for our next move."

"That sounds exactly just like me," Tenten actually managed a half-hearted grin, her eyes still fixed keenly on the cacophony before them. "When I'm with my team, I'm the one who's always whining that Guy-sensei and Lee are too wild and crazy, and that we should slow down our pace by like... a thousand percent or something."

"You've come a long way then, Tenten," the blonde Suna female finally spoke her true thoughts. "And... if I can be honest here, I'm proud to be standing alongside you in battle like this."

"More than beating my ass in mere minutes?" the _bukijutsu_ exponent gave a wry smile after a momentary pause, lifting the Bashosen again as if responding to a signal. "I remember you had lots of fun back then as I landed on that fan of yours."

"Don't flatter yourself, girl," Temari sniggered in her insolently lackadaisical drawl, doing the same with her own weapon. "You barely lasted scant seconds."

"I wish I can say the same for that raving freak though... All right, time for us to make our move, Temari. Let's show him what we've got."

"Good luck, Tenten," the _Tessenjutsu_ mistress called out as she watched her partner bound forward despite how lambasted she appeared to be, two days worth of battle weighted on her young harried shoulders. "And be careful, weapons mistress of Konohagakure."

It was with this unabashedly brazen and contumeliously brassy proclivity that both kunoichi darted ahead to relieve Kankurou of his parlous predicament, the younger individual a few feet in front of the other. It was also at this moment that Kankurou retracted his puppet, his chakra strings pulling Sasori back delicately in order to let the intrepid pair gain free reign of a united front against Hoki once again. Bracing herself for yet another tumultuous tussle with the delirious maniac, Tenten propelled her lissome yet tuckered body into the air, the Bashosen portending dangerously in her grasp as it was poised to rape the troposphere once more. Her antagonistic _Edo_ foe stepped back slightly with an inimical snarl, his face knotted into a hideous gnarl as he girded himself for the prodigious latent prowess of the sacred tool.

That was when the plucky youth, in mid-air before her descent, had her body abruptly jerked back, caught in a spasmodic seizure that had her slammed back down hard onto the depredated ground. Hoki's face untwisted to a veneer filled with both exultation and consternation, half-expecting that his fight had been unceremoniously facilitated by a fellow reincarnated villain skilled in telepathic or telekinetic techniques. Even when Tenten's sprawled form was next yanked upright by a seemingly invisible force, and when the girl ululated shrilly in sheer agony as her arms were wrenched from their sockets, the battered zombie simply gazed at the mind-boggling spectacle with an unfettered, delirious sense of rapture, his red irises glowing brightly as they took in the scene. It was only when the two Sand Siblings gave fretful outcries of their comrade's name and that of an unseen individual did Hoki realise that the fellow _bukijutsu_ specialist had been ensnared by chakra wire strings; his eyes were shining as he watched Temari and Kankurou scramble frantically back, shouting for their comrades to retreat as Tenten's limbs were ignited once more and she was now made to raise the Bashosen towards her allies.

And it was only when he witnessed the immobilised and terror-stricken brown-haired teen, a nasty bruise forming on her right cheek and a coppery red streak flowing from her forehead to her nape, send her fellow Alliance soldiers flailing haplessly away with a controlled swing of her revered weapon, did his thrilled and intoxicated mind register the name that her Sunagakure peers had blurted so hastily and with such utter repudiation - an highly esteemed name that, when he was alive, would arouse a substantial amount of fear and trepidation even in an autocratic and despotic person like him:

"Chiyo-_baasama_!"


	129. Chapter 129

**Part 11: History and Her Story (19)**

_"Is this... was this... the only way?"_

_Neji Hyuuga felt his female teammate's hand on his unflexed but firm left tricep, her strangled speech barely a whisper as they both kept a deferential distance from the unfolding scene; even their normally peevishly passionate teammate and mentor were respecting the solemnity of the morosely tragic scene that lay ahead of them, keeping their brimming enthusiasm and zeal succinctly buried as they watched their friend Naruto Uzumaki recoil in cold terror at the revelation of what had actually occurred, each word that rolled off the Kankurou's tongue causing the _Jinchuuriki_'s eyes to widen even further in disbelief._

_"It seems like it was, Tenten."_

_The long-haired Jounin turned to look at her, and noticed how her doe eyes were shimmering as they remained fixated on the group in front of them. Her hand was still lingering on his white sleeve, a forlorn look clouding over her face before he saw it fastidiously changing to one filled with petulant defiance, the wilful scowl reserved for occasions that did not go her way or whenever Guy-_sensei_ and Lee acted up - which was actually almost everyday anyway. Heaving an attritional sigh of regret, Neji crossed his right hand over his chest and clasped it over Tenten's own, giving it a gentle squeeze as they gazed sadly at the slumped form of the renowned mistress of puppetry, who had performed the _Kishou Tensei_ One's Own Life Reincarnation technique to revive her grandson, the Fourth Kazekage of Sunagakure._

_"She... Chiyo-_baasama_ is ... was... one of Lady Tsunade's greatest rivals... yet... yet she was willing to... to sacrifice her life... just like that. Her legacy... she's left her legacy behind... to save Gaara... by using this... this _kinjutsu_ to transfer her own life to him..."_

_Tenten continued her short ramble in the same soft register, her senses riled up at the thought of how even when they had overcome great obstacles in the past days to rescue the Kazekage from the Akatsuki's vilely reprobate clutches, they had still lost a comrade's life. As Sakura Haruno's tears trickled down her bruised and battered face while she hugged Chiyo's lifeless body close, the Chunin felt a lump rise in her throat, her heart wincing as the resurrected Gaara bade everyone present to pray for his deceased grandmother. The surrounding Suna shinobi, having followed Temari and Kankurou out of the village to await news of their Kazekage's safety, complied obligingly, bowing their heads in veneration. Both Tenten and Neji continued holding each other's hands as they did the same, together with the rest of their Konoha comrades present._

"Get clear! Get out of the way! She's attacking again!"

The flames were fanned by the buffeting winds, licking the airwaves as they swelled in immensity and roiled across the burning land. Stricken souls fled for their lives, evading the elemental assault as best as they could in order not to be incinerated in an instant. The assailment that followed was an inclemently polar opposite, the totally brumal glacial sheets gobbling the earth's surface at breakneck speed, plowing through the land to encapsulate unsuspecting victims in their crystalline casing. The biting irony was painfully blatant for the fighters who hailed from Division One and soldiers who had reinforced the troops at the beaches at the Land of Lightning the day before, for the one who was presumptuously arrogating the battle arena currently was the same individual who had been hailed as an exalted heroine since she used the Bashosen to save uncountable lives from Kakuzu's elemental masks.

"Is this... was this... the only way? Shouldn't we do ... something? What if... what if Tenten can't escape..."

Shikamaru Nara felt the heaving of Chouji's enlarged chest as he posed those innocent questions, the two best friends kept airborne by the gargantuan Akimichi's chakra wings reverberating off his broad back. The dark-haired Chunin kept mum and maintained a stoical silence for a few moments while he studied the action evincing and manifesting ahead, swallowing hard as he gazed at the insurrectionary display, the mutinous chaos spreading across the ravaged land as more Alliance soldiers had to take flight in the wake of their comrade coming at them with the sacred Banana Leaf Fan that had once belonged to the mythical Sage of the Six Paths.

"We need... we need to trust that the others will help us pull through this, Chouji," Shikamaru muttered, lifting his eyes towards the looming dark clouds hanging over them as he calculated the amount of natural light he had to activate his techniques. "We need to concentrate on sealing the other Edos at the same time, and with insufficient sealers around, the Suna nin are being stretched pretty thin here. That's why we need you to ferry them around now..."

"And you know that's not an issue for me, as long as I can also help to bring the zombies down," Chouji replied, starting his descent as he followed his friend's direction, forcing himself to turn away from the central battle as he braced himself to meet the two remaining Criminal Brothers head on together with his trusted teammate. "I gave my word to them... to Takeshi and his Sealing Team members that I would not allow any one of them to meet any more harm."

"I'm sure they'd appreciate such a sentiment, my brave friend, and I'm sure we will be able to take the rest of Kabuto's minions down," the Nara descendent quipped as he raised his torso and perfunctorily performed a few quick hand signs, ready for his buddy to launch his taut body ahead. "Believe in our friends, Chouji, and let's end these fights as soon as possible so that we can make our way to help Naruto! _Kageyose no Jutsu_!"

"Yes, that's right! Thank you for shutting her up, Chiyo-_baasama_!"

It was as if the imprudent Edo had taken quite an overtly apotheosising way of deifying his fellow reincarnated zombie, his glowing irises dancing wildly in derisive glee as he watched Chiyo manipulate her human puppet in rapt fascination. For several minutes, Hoki had been following the wizened warrior like a wide-eyed puppy, acting like a infatuated cheerleader as he followed the Bashosen's elemental barrages with his own fire and wind summons. Tenten had finally stopped screaming for Chiyo to free her as she continued swinging the ethereal fan, presumably due to the tight-lipped puppeteer exerting control even over her victim's vocal chords, eliciting even more inane exaltations from the purple-clad zombie.

"I understand that Kabuto must have shut you up by erasing your consciousness, Chiyo-_baasama_, but I really hope you can hear what I'm saying! Please let me have the fan that wench is wielding after we annihilate the troops!"

The silent woman finally turned her pale, liver-spotted face to the maniacal swordsman, her eyes swimming in pools of darkness, and gave a curt nod to the blathering Edo, all the while moving her nimble fingers dexterously in order to get Tenten to split the atmosphere apart with more jarring explosions. In response, the jowly Hoki continued cackling madly as he lunged forward with his own ninja tools, eager to cut down as many shinobi as he could, now that they all seemed to be keeping a precautionary distance from the legendary Sage Tool in the hands of an infelicitous marionette.

"Good. He's taken the bait. The plan... it's underway."

Kurenai Yuhi lifted her torso from her crouching position, unclenching her fingers from her clasped hands as she stood, her eyes glued keenly to the puppeteer _Edo_'s shriveled and bony fingers working their magic on the almost invisible chakra strings they were operating a few feet ahead. Her current partner replied with a gruff nod of assertion, his stance unwavering as his mental prowess continued its manipulation of the psychic barrier that had been erected. With the sharp increase in numbers of genjutsu practitioners and sensors in the arena, coupled with the stellar presence of an exceptionally meritorious Yamanaka clan descendent at the core, it had taken very little time for the Alliance soldiers to play their differentiated roles pithily. Each and every single combatant was aware of which Edo Tensei resurrection to target and who his fellow fighters were, with the genjutsu users spread out enough not to arouse any suspicion within the feral possessor of the Infinite Armour, yet subtly manipulating their chakra to aid in the dulling of Hoki's senses and making him see what he wanted to see.

"This war... these battles... make this generation of our Konoha ninja seem... extraordinary... and astounding, don't they?" Kurenai continued, her brightly coloured lips turning upwards at both corners. "You should be proud of them. You should be proud... of her."

"I didn't do anything much, Kurenai," Ibiki Morino replied calmly, his nerves seemingly much less frazzled and tuckered than a while ago as his psychic distortions kept the Jounin duo invisible from Hoki so that Kurenai could carry out her pivotal _genjutsu_ execution on the zombie. "When Ino came to me weeks ago, I simply..."

"I'm not talking about Ino, Ibiki."

The strapping figure tensed slightly, but maintained a brief and terse non-committal response as he repeated "I didn't do anything" refrain while keeping his eyes resolutely ahead, his attention obviously fixated upon the figure that was flying back and forth the vicinity while on the pretext of being bound by the chakra strings attached to her limbs and torso. Kurenai perdured the ensuing lingering silence for a few seconds, but soon carried on with voicing her thoughts to her comrade, one whom she never knew could have kept such an esoteric secret for so long. Since Ibiki had always been an artful master of human psychology, it was indeed almost unfathomable that he himself could have been mentally lacerated by his unrequited feelings for one who had met her demise all these years.

"You kept her alive, Ibiki. No matter how you haven't been able to... acknowledge her presence... or reveal her past to her, your actions have kept Tenten alive and safe for eighteen years," Team 8's female mentor cajoled as soothingly as she could even though her friend was still keeping his back to her. "Aren't you proud of Tenten? After all you've seen... after all you've witnessed today from our youths, isn't it time to... finally acquiesce to her need for the truth? Miyame entrusted her child to you because she believed in you, Ibiki... she knew that you would keep her daughter safe from harm. You need to have that trust in yourself, that you have been doing the right thing all along and..."

"You know what I've really learnt today, Kurenai?" There was sudden sheer clarity in the Tokubetsu Jounin's voice, as if he had reached some form of enlightenment after absorbing the comments and advice bestowed by his comrades in the last hour or so. "You may be right that the... kids... the young shinobi... really do not need much of our shielding and protection anymore. And I am proud of them... I am proud of Tenten. Looking at her... I know that Miyame... if she could see the way her daughter has been acting today... she would undoubtedly be filled with immense pride as well. But more importantly, Tenten, Ino, Shikamaru, Chouji... and all the rest from the other villages... they've reminded me how critical it is to trust your friends... just like how Miyame did with me. I wish... I wish I had opened up to my friends earlier about this secret... friends like you and Asuma... Anko... Kakashi. Perhaps then, I could have handled the whole thing much better, and not deprived Hayate the chance to get to know his own niece when he was alive."

The expression on Ibiki's face, as he finally turned to face the _genjutsu_ mistress, was one filled with both woe and gratification, as if he had somehow come to terms with reality but was still choked by the anguish that had accumulated over all this time and culminated in the very recent event of getting openly denounced and railed at by the girl he had sworn to safeguard. Kurenai exhaled as she returned his look with another placating smile, wordlessly conveying her allegiant support that no matter how tough it might be for Ibiki to patch things up with Tenten, she would always be there to provide any form of assistance. The duo then broke into a run as the _Edo_ they were shadowing sprang forward while still staunchly making the presence of holding the reins of the battlefield's singular hope of a turning point, signaling the ascension of the next stage of Shikamaru's contrivance.

"Are you okay, Tenten?"

The kunoichi in question had crimson blood covering the right side of her face, her swollen cheek turning a deep purplish hue as the prattling revived swordsman spat on it before he swung his fiendish blades at the team of _Tessenjutsu_ users led by Temari. Kankurou's puppets were bearing the brunt of Tenten's attacks, with steadfast support from Darui, Hiashi and Baki, their battle site pervaded clangorously by predominantly Doton, Ranton and Katon summons from the Bashosen and the Alliance soldiers' retaliatory elements.

"I... I'm all right, Ino. Chiyo-_baasama_... didn't really hurt me that much."

Within the telepathic mind-link the Yamanaka youth had established, Tenten managed a tentative, febrile response as she continued swinging her prized fan as if on a crazed rampage totally controlled by the female _Edo_, when in reality she was only mustering visually spectacular but basically impuissant elemental strikes that could be easily controverted by her comrades. Chiyo on the other hand, was cackling in her own delirium, apparently ecstatic that their combined efforts were reaping rewards so readily.

"This is what I was revived for!" her voice echoed in the thoughts of the two Konoha kunoichi, the legendary puppet mistress's avidity in this particularly vulnerable situation quite hard to dismiss. "That bastard Kabuto thought he could make use of me to harm all of you, but never would he imagine that I could have thwarted his plans!"

The cryptic reticence of the younger duo spoke volumes of their hesitance to respond; it was evident to Chiyo that it was not simply because they were both obviously in awe of her presence in the scene, but as forewarned by others earlier, also on their guard against any untoward turn of events. There was no way of telling if Kabuto Yakushi could, at any moment now, exert his control and regain total domination over his rogue _Edo Tensei_ resurrection. Having witnessed how Hanzo had broken free of the slimy reptile's manipulations the day before, Chiyo had been slowly playing the defecting game by using her immense _genjutsu_ prowess to attain a credible level of self-governance. On the outside, she might be acting as if her consciousness had been erased, but within the safety net of Ibiki's psychic barrier and Ino's telepathy, Chiyo was beside herself with glee at the triumph of having successfully tricked Hoki with Shikamaru's plan of hugely deceptive theatrical and dramatic proportions.

"I'm... thankful, that even after my death, I can be fighting alongside Naruto Uzumaki's friends once more."

Jolted slightly by Chiyo's more subdued tone, Tenten was reminded of how the old woman had sacrificed her life in order to save Gaara, after an insanely lengthy and highly intense battle against her own grandson. Back then, Chiyo's chakra strings had been attached to her friend Sakura Haruno as they both cut loose at the Akatsuki's Sasori, the older kunoichi working in perfect synchronisation with Konoha's pink-haired brawler's high-octane, earth-shattering punches. Even though she and the rest of Team Guy had not been physically privy to the calamitous combat as they battled their own clones, the resounding explosions that had traveled across the land, and the rocky remains of the vast caverns of the Akatsuki hideout had been more than sufficient to paint the picture of a truly meteoric battle.

"I remember... how that foolhardy boy... and his irritating sense of righteousness... his ridiculous naïveté... somehow even managed to touch my old, frigid heart," Chiyo was now reminiscing while her nimble gnarled fingers worked their magic, basically relieving Tenten of getting her bodily strength drained even further by using her chakra strings to aid her movement and get closer to their unsuspecting target. While she might not spoken much to the Suna warrior when she was alive, based on readings and hearsay of Lady Tsunade's old arch rival, Tenten knew that Chiyo could be as cantankerous as one could get. The state of melancholic reverie she was now adopting seemed a tad out of character, though the younger female had been present at the older lady's last moments of her life and had been totally disconcerted by the way she passed on before her time.

"That Naruto... that imbecile... now everyone's fighting to save him... and Gaara... the... child that I had sealed Shukaku into under the Third Kazekage's orders... is now General of the Shinobi Alliance Army. I've never thought I'd see the day... a day when the world's ninja would come together despite all our differences... despite our tumultuous histories... Uzumaki Naruto... he's really succeeded in uniting the world."

"That's nice and all, Chiyo-baasama, and I'm fully gratified that you'd reached out to me the way you did in order for us to concoct this plan to counteract Hoki," Ino's tone was definitely genial and deferential, though the words that followed did astound Tenten and coerce her to have newfound respect for the consummate professionalism her friend was exhibiting. "But we really can't afford for you to reach some form of emotional closure and be freed from Kabuto's technique right now, not when we are this close. It's time to act in a few moments, and we need you to be on your toes too, Chiyo-_baasama_."

"Heh... what a treat this has been... you girls... like Naruto... like Sakura... you girls and your friends, are this generation's hope for the shinobi world. I am... privileged to have had this opportunity to fight against Kabuto together with such competent kunoichi… though I can't believe you're all followers of that useless, wretched Tsunade. And yes, my young, meticulous Yamanaka warrior and my dear ninja tool specialist, I am ready for our plan to bear fruit. Let's go!"

Consciously rendering her facial muscles inert as a stringent bout of adrenaline welled up and discharged itself from within the intricate network of her blood capillaries, Tenten allowed Chiyo's exquisitely abstruse chakra strings to propel her body forward. Her mind was still reeling slightly from the sheer audacity of the entire asinine situation, and she had been making a concerted effort not to respond unnecessarily to the conversation going on in her head in order to appear as innocuous as possible in front of the deranged Takumi village artisan. Still, the ever ardent supporter of Konoha's blistering Fifth Hokage had to bite her tongue in order to avoid getting riled up by Chiyo's mildly contemptuous insult of her idol, even though she could catch a whiff of the geniality - and perhaps even fondness - in the resurrected female's mocking tone.

"Do your thing, wench! Take out your fellow comrades with the godly elemental prowess of the Bashosen, and hand it over to me after that!"

Having reached the madman in record time thanks to Chiyo's sophistication with puppetry, the grudging thespian was now close enough to note that his facial features resembled those of Hiruko's a few hours back - his eyeballs seemed to be bulging out of their sockets and dark streaks were flowing from the orifices of his face and dripping off his angular jawline. Once lauded as his team's expert tactician and battle strategist, his past reputation might not able to serve his needs this time, since it was clearly apparent that Hoki had certainly fallen prey to the vast _genjutsu_ undercurrents that had been zooming in on him for the past minutes. As Tenten, still appearing as deadweight as possible, felt herself trampolining upwards and riding the airwaves almost directly vertically above the revived weapons wielder, and within a that very split second, as her keen eyes caught Hoki darting ahead and brandishing his blades that were summoning torrents of fire and wind energies yet again, she heard Ino breathe the single syllable,

"Now."

Almost at once, the _bukijutsu_ mistress felt Chiyo's chakra strings snap back, finally detaching themselves from the various spots on her body they had latched on to. Somersaulting a few times from the impact of the abrupt release, as well as building up momentum, Tenten raised her prized artifact to the darkening heavens, counting the seconds it took for the lightning bolt she was impelling to strike the howling Hoki as he unwittingly found himself entrapped by his fellow Edo's puppet strings that had accelerated so expeditiously after leaving Tenten to her own devices. Before the Bashosen's blinding conjuration started frying him however, it was Kankurou's own chakra strings that provided assistance, reinforcing Chiyo's domination of the prostrated body by stretching it even more tautly than ever possible, causing the flabbergasted abomination to shriek himself hoarse.

"Tenten! His swords!"

Even before Ibiki's words made a connection with her eardrums, the kunoichi had already bolted forward with twin machetes, cleaving off Hoki's outstretched left arm almost simultaneously with Darui's broad blade that was slicing off his right. Her unfurled scroll sealed his fire blade and the Weaklessness Soaring Shortswords quickly, and she fell back together with the Division One commander immediately after for the next step of Shikamaru's plan to come into play.

"_Doton_: _Ganchusou_!"

"_Doton: Dosekidake_!"

The Shinobi Alliance's appointed general of its second division rocketed out of the rock-hard terrain as the first drops of rain fell, his Earth Release: Rock Pillars Spears technique working hand-in-hand with the other skewering move invoked by his fellow Iwagakure comrades. The previously peeved and affronted demeanour Jikyo wore seemed to have vanished into thin air as she emerged from the earth flanking the left side of Hoki's amputated body, activating a combination assault together with Ittan - the Earth and Stone Bamboo Shoot jutsu had condensed the soil and rock in the area to sprout out in the form of four large spikes from four separate directions, greatly enhancing Kitsuchi's own rock pillars that were attempting to do the same thing.

"It's no use, Father!" Kurotsuchi barked as she landed from her leap and the raindrops fell lightly against her exposed arm, bringing some subtle relief to her battered form. "Our _Doton_ techniques aren't strong enough to pierce through his Infinite Armour, and if we can't remove it, Takeshi's cloth cannot seal this piece of trash!"

"His arms... they're already reforming!" the fear was oozing in starkly generous proportions in the other female Iwa's voice as she placed her palms firmly on the ground to continue running the jutsu, her stricken eyes widening in disbelief as she witnessed the ineffectual drilling their joint strengths were causing. "Our techniques... our summons... they're just breaking off once in contact with his armour!"

"Our chakra... it's being drained by the ninja tool, General!" Jikyo's current misgivings were being echoed by an equally flustered Ittan, his eyes shining at the infernal circumstances they were facing despite the delicately inventive plan by Konoha's distinguished teen strategist. "Even the chakra strings holding him... they will be rendered useless soon if the armour continues siphoning the chakra from their owners!"

"Back away! Let us try something here! _Futon: Kakeami_!"

Using her Giant Folding Fan, Temari and several other _Tessenjutsu_ users were now creating multiple narrow currents of wind that formed a large net of sorts. Relying on this Wind Cast Net jutsu's extremely sharp winds, the blonde warrior was obviously trying to inflict some possible damage on the Edo's fastidiously durable protective gear, reliving the recent memory of how she and her comrades did at least manage a few shallow cuts on the Third Raikage's impossibly impervious body just a few hours ago. Having recovered from the immense shock of being played by his fellow Edo and the female Konoha rascal, Hoki was now snorting in yet another temporary triumph, gloating at the soldiers' relentless tenacity even though he was basically weaponless apart from the treacherous Infinite Armour.

"Bow before a superior being and his endowment, you disgusting brats! You think you'll win this fight just because you're able to trick me again?" the insufferable _Edo_ clamoured on even while the collaborative _Doton_ and _Futon_ techniques continued assailing his doggedly impenetrable shield. "The whole day you're resorting to trickery and... and deception... You think you're so smart? You'll never be able to beat my armour, you losers! I'll be up and about in no time, and I'll use the chakra you're feeding me to eliminate all of..."

In the midst of the elemental dissonance, Hoki actually stopped his loud and vulgar tirade on his own - lowering his head quickly, the stunned being saw that his ears had indeed caught the almost inaudible reverberation of a minuscule crack that had appeared at the top right corner of his famed tiger-faced chest plate. The zombie gasped as he felt four spikes puncture his back slowly in the following seconds, his head snapping back up at the unfamiliar sensations that amplified the reality that the ninja tool was losing its now spuriously apocryphal status and allowing the _Doton_ users' techniques to drill their way through his internal organs. Locking eyes with the lone female combatant who was nearest to him a few feet ahead, Hoki's red irises were set aflame with reignited revulsion for the young kunoichi, who was malignantly increasing the potency of her comrades' elemental summons with her own prized possession.

"It... it's working!" Kurotsuchi's jaunty manner was echoed by various spirited ejaculations around the area, the Iwa warrior once again taking on the role as her long-lost cousin's cheerleader as her Doton move, previously rendered inert by the armour, sprang to life within seconds. "Whatever you're doing, Tenten, continue doing it! The Bashosen... that fan is somehow elevating our jutsus' deadliness by leaps and bounds!"

Apart from the _Doton_ assaults, Temari's team's wind technique was also being fueled by the mystical fan's unbridled abilities. It seemed as if with time, Tenten's intricate connection with the Bashosen was allowing her to tap the brewing, boundless magnitude within the empyreal frond, and she was now making full use of this advantage to do the impossible, a feat that was only once accomplished by Gaara's Spear of Shukaku. The multitude of wind blades were now cutting through the protective plate and its straps, slashing their way across the indignantly paralysed zombie. Even so, Chiyo and Kankurou's chakra strings remained steadfast and unyielding, regaining their initial tightness now that the armour seemed to be forfeiting its chakra-draining abilities in the process of losing its intransigent structure.

"The armour... the chakra it's capable of holding within..."

The engorged blood capillaries around Hiashi white eyes pulsated rhythmically as they continued adroitly feeding his triggered _Byakuga_n; the Hyuuga clan leader took just one second too long to fire his vocal chords, his clamant imperative for his comrades to fall back only reaching those around his periphery area. As his _dojutsu_ detected that his nagging conjecture would definitely be proven right within ticking moments, a desperately harried Hiashi felt as if his heart would stop beating any second, knowing that even if he could get to his nephew's cherished teammate in time, chances would be that he would not be able to activate his Kaiten quickly enough to shield her from the implosion.

"Tenten!"

Despite the strident and vociferous detonation, several voices could be heard screaming for the teenage weapons mistress, her friends and comrades in the vicinity all hollering her name in their horrified state of demurral and denial at the unexpected turn of events. Before Hiashi had yelled for them to scamper for safety, no one had actually thought that the Infinite Armour would eventually explode in such an inclement way. It seemed as if it was Hoki's last form of vengeance, for even though the last broken bits of his formidable weapon lay scattered in smithereens around him, the _Edo_ was a sight to behold as his heavily skewered form gurgled in his explicitly egregious beguilement the thought that his loathsome foe would have met her end thanks to his ninja tool's destruction. As Kitsuchi extracted himself from the ground, his first thoughts for his newly found niece's possible demise were already wrenching the moisture out of his tear glands and sending his thumping heart into overdrive, until he heard the contemptible Takumi artisan switch from his peals of exultant celebration to similarly hysterical wails of mournful distress.

"Ibiki-_san_!"

The blonde right-hand man of Kumogakure's Raikage was the first soldier to reach the Konoha kunoichi, landing nimbly in the midst of the settling debris; while it was gratuitous for C to see a very conscious and unscathed Tenten, his heart skipped a beat at the sight of the huge, jagged piece of metal protruding from the lengthy back of the Tokubetsu Jounin whose sprawled form lay prostrate across the muted, stupefied teen. Ignoring the profane moans of the brutish Edo, C and Hiashi lifted Ibiki Morino's unmoving body gingerly and allowed Kurenai to tend to Tenten while they extracted the bloodied metal from his back.

"Is he… is he going to be all right?"

All around the group, the battleground stayed as unruly and rambunctious as ever as Darui and Kitsuchi re-deployed the soldiers who had brought Hoki down together to provide assistance for their comrades who were still fighting the rest of Kabuto's revived minions. Under Ino's vigilant telepathic directions, the Alliance soldiers could not afford a moment of reprieve as they dispersed speedily across the land, leaping past projectile shuriken and kunai, as well as dodging and swerving away from trenchant spurts of elemental releases. Kurotsuchi bit her lower lip as she threw one last fleeting glance at the girl whom she had been fighting together with since the dawn of the day, leading her Iwagakure peers to help Aoba and Ko deal with Fuka, a female Edo whose _Suiton_ summons were getting substantially more puissant with the steady rain befalling the land. Similarly, Temari tore her gaze away from Tenten's sitting form as Ino's voice resounded sonorously in her mind, shouting for her fellow Suna wind-manipulators to make a run for the area where Tsume and Kuromaru had their hands and paws full battling the ever indefatigable Kazuma.

"Is he… is Ibiki-_sensei_… going to be all right?"

Repeating her question with slightly more energy and less hesitance, Tenten scrambled to her knees and traversed the few feet on them, her left hand trailing the Bashosen that had been dropped during the forceful impact of the Infinite Armour blowing apart. Everything had happened so expeditiously that the flabbergasted teen was still struggling to reel her senses in; not only had she not heard Hiashi's warning due to the commotion the elemental umbrage by her peers had hoisted, Tenten had been so keenly driven to complete her task of subduing the acridly astringent Edo that it was only when Ibiki had flung his lanky body in front of her that she had any clue that something untoward had occurred. The brutal brunt of the detonation had of course then been bore by her saviour, and the kunoichi's brown eyes were now welling up with hot tears as she scrutinised C's pulsing hands hovering over the dreadfully long and bloody scrawl across the back of a man she had aggressively railed at not too long ago.

"He'll be fine, Tenten… don't worry," the Kumo Jounin attested confidently with an assured nod, his handsome features glowing in the bluish-green sheen emanating from his hands. "Thank goodness he was able to take the hit the way he did… it might not have been as easy to heal you if the armour had pierced you from the front within that short distance."

While C's words were not meant to come out as weighted as they had seemed to be, Kurenai stole a glance at her brethren's pale, stricken face as he spoke, noting that the façade of vile contempt and cutthroat rage she had used on their villager's most well-reputed interrogator a little more than an hour ago had all but vanished. While her strangled voice did still reveal a slight aversion, a look of plaintive remorse was etched on Tenten's ashen face, her eyes clouded with worry even as she exhaled in sheer relief from the revelation that Ibiki's life was not in immortal peril.

"Earlier on today, Ibiki urged me to believe in you, Tenten," Hiashi's low baritone was sending shivers up the astounded girl's spine as she took in his words, whispered gently from his position right next to her, his right hand squeezing her right shoulder comfortingly. "When I panicked at the discovery that you and Ginza were left almost defenceless against a number of _Edo_ zombies… San and his flying beast… Ni and her canine pets… Ibiki was the one who admonished me for not having faith in you… for not believing that you were capable of taking care of yourself and your comrade. I know close to nothing about your past, or what has transpired between you two, Tenten. I only know that Ibiki must have suffered tremendously from the emotional baggage he's had to carry all these years. You're entitled to your anger… to your sense of betrayal of course… we're only human. However, I hope that someday… hopefully sooner than later… you'd be able to find in your generous heart to forgive Ibiki for what he's done, for I know this for certain – he has had faith in you from the very time he was entrusted with your safety in Konohagakure."

C wore a grim yet heartened expression as he took in the sight of Tenten holding on to Ibiki's hand while she continued to listen to Kurenai's turn of revealing how Ibiki had insisted on following Tsume when she received the headquarter's summons from Shikaku and Inoichi to lead reinforcement troops to Shizune's medical unit. Hiashi was taking off after relegating those wise words, and the blonde sensor's eyes trailed his departing figure for a few seconds, only to land back on the sight of Takeshi and a female Suna readying themselves to extinguish the whimpering Hoki for good.

Just as Takeshi's cloth bale began its enviable task, C was suddenly gripped by the realisation that the way Kabuto's dark-haired _Edo_ pestilence was so perniciously punctured in multiple points was adjuring vividly fulgent images from the vision he had had earlier in the day. The Jounin's eyelids were stretched wide open and his mouth was left hanging agape as he continued staring at the zombie's dark locks being blown back by the strong breeze that had enveloped the surroundings, even as the rain started pelting down with more fervour and Takeshi's cloth strip began wrapping its way up from Hoki's hanging feet and lower torso. His mind started blocking out Kurenai's ethereally lilting voice that seemed to be dissipating into thin air as his entire being started shivering tremulously, as if taking cue from his trembling lips. He shifted his eyes swiftly as the first beads of perspiration forming on his forehead melded together with the raindrops, only to find that staring at the gaping wound beneath his hands' incandescence was actually accelerating his heartbeat even further.

It was at that moment that the young Jounin recalled from his telepathic vision how a long-haired Hyuuga male had his back barbarously pierced by one of the alacritous, innumerable wooden stakes that were raining down at an unescapable breakneck speed, in a valorous but fatal attempt to shield Uzumaki Naruto and a female Hyuuga.


	130. Chapter 130

**Part 11: History and Her Story (20)**

"Lee... are… are you all right?"

The dark-haired youth blinked and turned to face the concerned grey-eyed kunoichi with his usual wide-eyed wonder, noting how the dark hair beneath her turban was matted to her cheeks by the increasingly heavier rainfall. He swung his head back up to the overcast heavens and attempted a feeble nod, announcing heatedly that they had to keep running ahead in order to get to Naruto as quickly as possible, even if the sky suspiciously lighting up a substantial distance away was still bothering him quite a fair bit. He gave Maki a more reassuring look but did not provide any explanation for the awestruck expression he had worn a few moments back, telling himself that it was just his nerves acting up for no real rhyme or reason and that there was no actual cause for him to have such an absurd, harrowed reaction to something as common as lightning bursts occurring during a torrential downpour - no matter how his nerves were being ragged by how the spine-tingling, foreboding familiarity was putting him on edge.

"Kiba-_kun_!"

Hinata's rankled cry reached the Inuzuka descendant's ears even though he was in the middle of an awkward tumble; Akamaru was already cushioning his fall with his large, broad furry form, having speedily broken out of formation together with his young master the moment he noticed him stumbling over his own feet. As the Division Two troops wordlessly streamed past the pair, Kiba's nose was sniffing the air wolfishly, his vertical slit-like pupils slightly glazed over as they strained themselves towards the distant heavens, the bluish glower enrapturing the grey clouds stupefying him even from such a credible distance away. As the raindrops trickled down his collar bone down to his chest, he was just about to voice his thoughts about the unconventionally awkward tingle that had run down his spine, when something else caused him to gasp out loud. Though Hana, Shino and Hinata were now next to Kiba, Neji had just hurtled past them altogether with the other soldiers, showing absolutely no sign of having become cognizant of his fellow brethren falling to the side. He caught sight of the auburn-haired, olive-skinned kunoichi just behind his friend; the Kumogakure swordswoman was now giving the dumbfounded Inuzuka teen a tentatively knowing nod, as if sympathetically implying that she knew that something was terribly wrong with the young Hyuuga Jounin and that she would keep an eye on him. More nonplussed than ever, the usually brash Chunin, instead of retorting with his signature loud yelps and retaliatory snarls, lowered his decibel to an uncharacteristic whisper as, instead of explaining why he had been thrown off course so abruptly by the distant thunder-free lightning furore high up in the heavens, he laid out in the open, the nagging worry that had been on every one of the quartet's minds for the past day.

"_Raimu Raito_."

Shikamaru felt the breath push past his pursed lips and escape into the tense atmosphere as he skidded to a halt and signaled for the rest to hold their horses as well. He stared hard at the stream of crackling electrical energy zig-zagging up into the darkening sky, stemming the signature smirk that he was preparing to form for a few more split seconds as he followed its blazing trail. For a moment, he thought that his valued teammate might have been too late in stopping the heartrendingly earth-shattering, potentially cataclysmic Limelight jutsu, but soon enough, Aoba and the rest of his sodality were applauding in unison as the bright streak traversed haplessly straight into the depths of the trenchantly effusive clouds. The Nara teen looked on as the three other bolts of lightning-chakra met the same fate, missing one another totally instead of converging to form the massive ball of lightning that would incinerate the entire area and reduce its current inhabitants into nothing but ash.

"Atta girl, Ino. You actually managed to redirect all four Edos at their cardinal points even though they're separated so far away from one another... even when you only had to take just one out with your _Shintensen no Jutsu_," the dark-haired Chunin almost laughed out loud as he moved ahead spryly together with his team. "Sorry Asuma-_sensei_... just like how we had to stop you yesterday, we now have to ensure that the rest of the Twelve Guardians aren't allowed to wreck further havoc for the Alliance, especially when all of you are... were such outstanding warriors. Now we just have to capture the four..."

"_Raiton: Shichuu Shibari_."

Shikamaru found himself stopping dead in his tracks again in less than a minute, but this time he was truly taken aback by an unprecedented but not unwelcome scene unfolding before his eyes. Recognising the entrapped brown-haired, heavily scarred resurrection the few feet away as Nauma, he witnessed how the four rock pillars that had surrounded him were now frying their muted, immobilised prisoner with their own lightning assault. The man behind this feat raised his hooded head, exposing the porcelain cat mask covering his face and inciting Aoba to exclaim, "Zou Otomatsu!" in obvious rapture. After giving an affirmative nod, the ANBU Captain took off into the air together with his covert black-clad masked soldiers, his own white cloak flapping indiscreetly in the wind. Wondering if his father had already started dispatching ANBU teams to head towards Naruto's location, Shikamaru beckoned the Sunagakure sealer in his group to actuate her cloth jutsu after the Lightning Release: Four Pillar Bind technique dissipated, calculating if the Shinobi Alliance Headquarters would actually be too shorthanded to handle anything untoward if the enemy troops were to somehow attack their base of operations in Kumogakure.

"That was an impressive team-up, if I could say so myself!"

Yamanaka Ino lifted her eye-lids, allowing the dim rays of the setting sun to filter into her vision. She saw that Hoheto and Tokuma were peering out into the open, both Hyuuga men evidently still having their _Byakugan_ scouring the vast arena; the latter turned and gave her a ratifying thumbs-up sign which she returned with a mild, deferential bow. Often hailed as one of the best wielders of the clan's fabled _dojutsu_, Tokuma was now the one waxing lyrical about his fellow clansman's astute mind and shrewd idea of combining two of Konohagakure's most prodigious fearsome skillsets to achieve such a wondrous outcome while the ever calm and composed Hoheto remained stoically vigilant with his back to the blonde kunoichi.

"The ANBU… they've appeared and brought one of the four Guardians down with their Four Pillar Bind jutsu," he reported methodically, his usually luxuriant brown top-knot ponytail drooping sadly in the falling rain. "Seems like it's Captain Zou's team."

"We must have missed them travelling towards us amidst all the chaos," Tokuma followed grimly as he knelt down on one knee as his _Byakugan_ continued doing its job. "Guess we really have to give it to the ANBU… they're really as stealthy as their reputation precedes them!"

"Funny… I thought the ANBU was supposed to be guarding the periphery of the headquarters though."

"Desperate times call for desperate measures I guess. I'm sure Captain Shikaku must have had his reasons for deploying the ANBU on the second day of the war."

Ino kept her silence throughout this exchange between the duo, keeping a cautious check on her chakra levels since this was the first time she was using her abilities so extensively after the recent debacle with Suiko. While she was able to maintain a placid, halcyon disposition on the outside, somehow the words that registered in her ears seemed to be rattling her inwardly, even if she knew that her father was still safely in the headquarters with Shikaku and the rest of the personnel running all the exigent background work. Sweeping her long fringe behind her ear, the Yamanaka prodigy swallowed the lump in her throat and attempted to shake off the augury presage, following the two ninja who had caused the transition from the tantalising thrill of their collaborative success to her current discomfiture, towards her behemoth Akimichi teammate who was assailing another Edo Guardian.

"_Nikudan Sensha_!"

With his interminable chakra reserves propelling his massive spheroidal form into a frenetically ballistic cutlass, Chouji's Human Bullet Tank technique was indeed further pulverising the desecrated, desolate battleground, sending broken debris ricocheting all over the atmosphere. The dynamic, efficacious rolling jutsu was effectively using the youth's weight and force of its corybantic rotations to create an internecine lethality that was tearing the land apart, revealing the tall and swarthy reincarnated Seito among elephantine jagged boulders. Yet another resurrected being with an elemental affinity for lightning and yet another fearsome shinobi who had been omnipotently adroit enough to have been become a direct guard of the daimyo before he was ruthlessly killed by the traitorous Kazuma, Seito stood his ground and showed little resistance towards Chouji's highly charged assault. It was as if his only role at this particular battle site was to act as one of the four cardinal points to bring forth the Limelight jutsu to aid Kabuto Yakashi in eliminating this irksome and onerous section of the allied forces in one fell sweep, as he quietly allowed his fallen form to be immortally imprisoned by the cloth strip lasciviously winding all over.

"Poor Seito-_sensei_… and all the other guardians… this is the second time… we've had to fight their resurrected forms like this," mumbled Chouji as he powered down, the tinge of remorse greatly exacerbated by his gentle demeanour which was a far cry from the crushing, staggering brute force he was just less than a minute before. "That… that dastardly Kabuto… just like Kazuma…"

"You did well, Chouji," Darui asseverated with his solemn, lackadaisical drawl as he offered a firm, assuring grip on the youth's right shoulder. "I'm sorry there was no other way than to make you and your friends fight the Twelve Guardians again..."

"Please don't apologise, General Darui," the Akimichi heir managed a feeble attempt at grinning, his beady eyes drawing into slits in the process. "It's just… it wasn't too long ago that Shikamaru, Ino and I had to fight Seito-_sensei_… Kitane-_sensei_… together with Kiba, Lee… and even Asuma-_sensei_… so…"

"Yes, please do stop apologising for every little thing, General Darui," Bekkou was groaning loudly in mock horror as he slumped to the ground, facing the heavens and languishing in the rain that was washing his limp, vitiated soul all over. "It was a pain in the ass back home, and it's just as torturous here! Although your knack of saying sorry for nothing all the time was what actually saved your ass yesterday, I have to admit."

His fellow Kumo peer's reminder of the events that had occurred the day before somewhat reduced the intensity of Darui's well-mannered beam, with the thought of how he had lost Samui and Atsui to the unknowingly cryptic and inexplicable power of the Crimson Gourd resurfacing to the forefront. As he looked past his current group and into the horizon, noting thankfully that the last fights on this battleground seemed to be drawing to a close and in their favour, the dark-skinned warrior sheathed his broad blade and heaved a heavy sigh, wondering if he would ever be able to fulfil his promise of freeing his friends from the obscure depths of the sacred ninja tool. The strident escalation of the atmosphere from across the land seemed to be serving as an adumbrating flag that hope was not all lost, since there was living proof that even a treasured tool that had belonged to the allegorical Sage of the Six Paths could actually be virtuously handled by someone seemingly more ordinary with a much more humdrum name and reputation.

"_Futon: Kamikaze_!"

The lone figure was whipped up by the small tornadoes that had breezed in thanks to the Tessenjutsu users from Sunakagure, their blonde leader following the Wind Release: Divine Wind technique by releasing her pet weasel into the blustering furore to manipulate the numerous air currents and vacuum pockets into colliding and creating countless invisible blades that were carving up the woeful female Edo within. With the potent _Futon_ attacks effortlessly overpowering Tou's lightning-based defensive tactics, the sole female of Konoha's prestigious Twelve Guardian Ninja guard could do little but surrender to the cutting winds, her red outfit, lower arm bandages and Twelve Guardian waist cloth shredded into pieces by the time Takeshi's cloth bale did its sealing work.

"Good work, everyone," Temari called out as she folded her hefty fan up and hoisted it to her back, her one-eyed weasel Kamatari vanishing in a puff of smoke. "Seems like we've managed to prevent the Limelight jutsu from taking place."

"General Darui's calling for us to re-group," grunted Takeshi while lifting his umpteenth sealed Edo for the day. "I guess we're getting ready to move out and join the rest of the troops in making our way towards the main battlefield."

Before any other word could be exchanged, Baki walked past the Kazekage's sister with no sign of acknowledgement, his usual intimidating presence apparently missing in action as he filed wordlessly with the other Sunagakure soldiers out of the area. Takeshi lowered his glistening eyes momentarily in response before meeting Temari's sympathetic orbs for a few seconds and following suit in his uncle's wake. The female Jounin inhaled deeply as the image of Isago's pain-etched face appeared within her visage - ever since the Fourth Division's combatants had arrived at the battle site, Baki's right-hand man had been doggedly fighting by his side, as if staying close to him would alleviate his misery of having lost his daughter. Temari understood the brevity of the situation, that though the staunchly headstrong Baki would never openly admit it, the mounting grief was actually eating him up from within. By sticking to his pertinacious friend, Isago could only hope to assist him in whatever way he could and ensure that he did not come to any untoward harm due to his current state of woe and bereavement. He offered Temari an embittered smile before he trudged forward to catch up with his comrades, leaving the young woman to collect the several conflicting emotions she was tussling with.

"What... what is Tenten doing?"

The arena was sizzling with electrical energy and the Hyuuga duo stopped dead in their tracks, as their arrival presented them with the scene of the last tempestuous scrimmage on the sprawling battlefield. As the rain fell harder and more steadily than ever, it was vividly evident that the last remaining male _Edo Tensei_ reincarnation was devoid of any hope of turning the tide around for Kabuto, especially when the rest of the Limelight jutsu assemblage had all been captured and imprisoned within the cloth bales of the Sunagakure Sealing Team. Yet, Konohagakure's Kitane, once a proud and stalwart warrior of the Twelve Guardian Ninja, continued taking point with his three-section-staff, embroiled in battle with a much younger _bukijutsu_ specialist who was holding her own with her own unsealed lightning-imbued metallic pole. Ko Hyuuga repeated his question as his pupil-less white eyes roved over the two duelists who were charging up the cooling atmosphere with their _Raiton_-based clashes, stating that the Team Guy kunoichi could have simply extinguished this particular Edo easily with the Bashosen.

"She's paying her respects to Kitane," Hiashi muttered empathetically as he continued watching the female teen who seemed to have grown up so much in front of his eyes in the past day. "Tenten is giving Kitane his one last battle before he gets sealed."

"That's... kind of stupid, isn't it?" Jikyo huffed as she placed her own blade back into its scabbard on her back, even though there was a hint of grudging obeisance in her voice indicating that she did admire that particular code of conduct that the younger female was displaying. "I mean no disrespect... heaven forbids if I've not learnt my lesson... but... what if the Edo hurts her... or maims her... or worse? Shouldn't we just expedite this process and just get rid of him quickly?"

"She won't lost this," Kurotsuchi announced with an irresistibly upbeat tone that betrayed the burgeoning love she felt for her comrade. "Tenten's faced too many powerful adversaries today to lose to this one Edo. Have more faith in her, Jikyo. That's my cousin fighting out there!"

"Cousin?" Ko's voice bristled with derision and incredulity, the Hyuuga clansman obviously not totally comfortable with the idea of working together with Iwagakure shinobi who had been hellbent on infiltrating his home village countless times. "With all due respect, young miss, what in the world are you talking about?"

"Tenten's the daughter of my uncle, 'young' Hyuuga mister," the Iwa Jounin refused to let Ko's bellicose hostility get to her, after all the outrageous upheavals she had had to endure the past two days. "And her mother was Miyame..."

"Kurotsuchi!"

"Miyame... Miyame Gekkou? Hayate... Hayate's long-lost sister?"

Before Hiashi could stem the conversation, Ko's eyes were already shining with unadulterated nihilism, the revelation of Tenten's complicated family background utterly plunging him into unknown depths of disbelief and repudiation. He turned to stare wide-eyed at the teen kunoichi fighting her heart out with her staff, setting the air ablaze with each sturdy swing and clamorous clang every time it parried Kitane's blows. The head of the Hyuuga clan was now beseeching his daughter's caretaker, in fiercely urgent whispers, not to rile matters up further, warning him against talking to Tenten about the truth behind Hayate's death. Ko turned round to face his master, a world of sorrow on his pale face as he shook his head in reply, detaching his arms from Hiashi's grasp as he traipsed away in frustration. The two Iwa kunoichi stood frozen and baffled by this unexpectedly intense parley, their focus and attention diverted only when they heard the jarring sound of metal hitting the ground.

"Thank... thank you for this. That was... that was a great workout."

In the middle of the open rocky terrain, and under the warm embrace of the torrential rain, Tenten knelt on one knee and gave a deferential bow to her latest opponent, one who had blue tendrils licking his revived body cloyingly thanks to the gleaming cudgel that had been thrust straight through his torso. Kitane of the Twelve Guardian Ninja returned the gesture with a similar nod of veneration and a chivalrous smile, as if totally resigned to his fate; the plucky youth picked up the Edo's three-section staff as a Suna sealer's cloth strip unraveled around his black vest jacket and signature waist cloth, making the angular-faced man chortle in amusement and joy that his weapon would become a keepsake for a fellow _bojutsu_ expert.

"Kitane-sensei... his _bukijutsu_ skills... rivaled Asuma-sensei's!" Chouji was genuinely swooning as he watched Tenten seal her newly acquired ninja tool into one of her scrolls, with almost the entire squadron having gathered a distance away under Darui and Kitsuchi's orders. "He even beat him back then when he was resurrected by Kazuma... Wow! Tenten's really come a long way, hasn't she?"

"I'm surprised that you're this surprised, Chouji," Shikamaru sniggered as he placed his slim arm around his best friend's broad shoulders. "After what you've accomplished the past two days... after what we've all witnessed and been through... how can you even doubt Tenten's skills with weaponry now?"

"I'm not doubting her of course, Shikamaru... it's just that I never did know that her _taijutsu_ skills were so advanced as well!"

"Let's stop reveling here, although I know we all deserve a little celebration after all we've been through," the Nara Chunin squinted as he tried to observe what was going on a hundred metres away. "It looks like we are getting ready to move soon, but not everything's been... suitably settled."

"I guess this is goodbye then."

The ruddy-faced youth swallowed hard as he raised his head in response, his frazzled senses tingling as he recognised the signs that Kabuto's Impure World Reincarnation technique for the last remaining Edo was coming to an end. Just the day before, he had had to fight yet another revered puppet master from Sunagakure, albeit one who had gone rogue and entered the malevolent Akatsuki organisation. With the memory of Sasori's body crumbling into dust still fresh in his mind, Kankuro could hardly bear the idea of another puppet expert from his village disappear in the same way.

"I must say this before my soul returns to the afterlife though," Chiyo's voice retained the steel and edge despite her impending departure, her body already flaking away at many parts. "I know you're going to say it's a freedom of expression and what not, but I will never, ever understand why you would wear such ugly face paint."

Kankuro blinked back his tears as he guffawed aloud in retaliation, hearing the rest of the Sunagakure soldiers behind him, feeling his sister's hand on his left shoulder. Chiyo continued lamenting about her usual complaints as more bits of her resurrected form floated away into the wind, ignoring the piteous and saddened faces of her fellow brethren overwhelmed by the thought of their renowned mistress of puppetry leaving the surface of the earth a second time within the short span of a year.

"You'll be the world's top puppet master in no time, Kankuro of the Sand, if you're not already the one," Chiyo's voice was audibly getting weaker with each passing moment as the rest of the assemblage gathered around. "Pass on the beauty of this _ninjutsu_ form, young man, and... and do me proud. Not that I'm not already proud of you, mind you... you, Temari, Gaara... I'm... I am glad I managed to return and make a difference in your battle against that bastard Kabuto, even if it's only a little."

Tenten caught the eye of the woman who had controlled her like a puppet a while ago, and saw that she was really at peace as she lifted her face slowly to the heavens. Though the grey sclera declared nothing, it was clear to the teenager that their short time fighting together as a team with Ino had established a trenchant connection among the three female fighters. Heaving a sigh, she clasped Ino's hand in her own as they witnessed first-hand how the soul of Chiyo-_baasama_ was rightfully returned to the afterlife after achieving closure at having helped the shinobi world combat evil.

"After the war, we... we are going out... going out on a date, I mean."

It was less than a minute after Chiyo's reincarnated form dissipated into the atmosphere, and Darui and Kitsuchi were prepping the troops for departure, together with the _Byakugan_ users providing information on the shortest routes possible to reach the rest of the Division One battalion. Even a weirdly grumpy and sullen Ko was involved, having been given some stern warnings by Hiashi to hold his tongue; Shikamaru's instincts had been fired up once more due to him noticing Ko's vile mood, and he was just about to consult his Konoha peers when he was dragged aside by Temari, who, very uncharacteristically enveloped him in a tight hug right in front of many curious bystanders especially from her village.

The Nara male felt the blood shoot to his head at this sudden display of affection, and before he could even enquire what was going on with the normally foul-mouthed, contumelious older girl, she had spouted those unbelievably discommodious words that were causing Ino and Chouji to grab each other and yell, "I told you so!" together. Just as he was about to gather his wits and offer some reassuring words that would hopefully hold the beautiful blonde Jounin back for a few more moments, Shikamaru felt another person's lips on his own, a move which made the whole area cheer heartily in the middle of the downpour. Stumbling back when he was finally released from Temari's grasp, the floundering teen fell cleanly on his buttocks as he stared at the departing wind goddess, blinking non-stop at this ridiculous occurrence, only able to get to his feet with his boisterous buddies helping him up while yakking away non-stop, rendering him even more speechless than ever.

"Today was the first time you... you actually addressed me."

Ibiki Morino turned around slowly from the stirring scene that was making even Kurenai expel peals of laughter, his senses prickling at the voice of someone whom he never thought would speak to him for a foreseeably lengthy period. Wincing slightly at the dull ache on his back, the Tokubetsu Jounin opened his mouth to clarify his doubt, but found that he could not utter a word, as if his parched throat had absorbed all available moisture in his oesophagus. He felt the warmth rise to his taut cheeks when he finally managed to face Tenten, the rest of the troops seemingly vanishing from his periphery as his eyes met her dark brown irises.

"Earlier on... when you... when you shouted at me to seal Hoki's swords away after Chiyo-_baasama_ and I took him down... I believe... I believe it was the very first time... you actually called me by my name. Even when you used to visit us... now I know you were visiting... me... back at the orphanage... you... you never... ever called me by my name..."

The sight of Tenten's trembling lips was causing Ibiki to falter, his heart pounding loudly in his ears as he sought support in C's arms that were holding him. As chief of his interrogation team, he would never appear this vulnerable in front of his men, but Tenten's resemblance to Miyame and the wretched, forlorn expression she was currently wearing were too much for him to bear. He felt as if his aching heart required him to reach in and wrench it out of its grave confines, his mind buzzing resoundingly as he searched for the right response in vain.

"I... I don't know the truth... about... about what happened to my parents... about the way I came to be in the orphanage... but... but I know you do care... you do care about my well-being... about my safety. I can sense that you... that you're in pain too... that acknowledging me isn't exactly easy for you. But after today... after... after fighting together for so, so long... I hope you can see that... that I am strong... that I can definitely handle the truth, no matter how... how painful you think it may be."

Ibiki could feel the warm tears streaming down and forming rivulets with the rain dripping off his strong jawline, the picture of a poor, defenceless baby girl left in front of Konogakure's gates now being replaced by one of a bold, dauntless warrior standing tall right in front of him. Vaguely hearing C and Kurenai's sniffles, both of them flanking either side of his, the haunted man breathed in deeply as the young weapons specialist strode forward and reached out to hold his cold, clammy hands.

"Thank you, Ibiki-_sensei_, for saving my life today... and all those years ago as well. When you're ready, we will talk. Till then, I am going to make my parents proud... make them proud of the girl they named Tenten."

Tenten was about to let go of Ibiki's limp hands, but they came alive all of a sudden and clutched them tightly, as if afraid to let them go. The torture specialist seemed to be undergoing all kinds of internal torment as he struggled to locate his voice-box, his entire being shaking in pure astonishment and awe that this moment was actually happening.

"I... I was the one who gave you... that name. Tenten... I... I gave you your name, Tenten."

A shudder ran visibly through the kunoichi's torso as she assimilated the revelation, but it took her only a few seconds to stop recoiling in the face of such a valuable piece of information, and reply accordingly with minimal fuss,

"Then I guess I'll just have to also thank you for giving me my name. Thank you, Ibiki-_sensei_. Thank you for naming me Tenten."


	131. Chapter 131

**Part 12: Reunited We Fall (1)**

"They're out of range, Captain… I can't detect them anymore."

The puppet master responded with a curt nod, noting that the male Hyuuga's activated _Byakugan_ was still causing the blood capillaries around his pupil-less white eyes to pulsate rhythmically, an observation that was causing him to blanch ever so slightly; it seemed like despite all the innumerable instances of other shinobi kidnapping and attacking members of one of Konoha's most renowned clans in order to gain the fabled prowess of the _Byakugan_, Kankuro was still visibly perturbed by the mystical ways the dojutsu worked. Hoheto's monotonously sombre report somehow nettled his nerves slightly, since it meant that the members of the Surprise Attack Division had managed to put a substantial distance between them and the other troops within a short span of time. That also meant that they were probably the only Alliance soldiers who were veering away from Uzumaki Naruto and Killer Bee, the two Jinchuuriki that the allied forces had sworn to protect, since recent events had brewed over the melting pot so swiftly and perfunctorily that the war had had to take place in such an abrupt manner.

In addition, if the platoon faced any adverse situation, its soldiers would be left to fend for themselves with no available back-up since everyone else would be leagues away.

"Focus on finding Anko Mitarashi and the one you call Yamato, Hoheto. We've separated from Darui's troops for a good reason, and it'll do us no good if we don't focus on our mission."

"Easier said than done, Captain, and you know it," Shimon Hijiri's voice prepared itself to grate Kankuro's nerves, the apathetic drawl already adopting an indolent tone. "It's obvious that we cannot locate Kabuto Yakashi's whereabouts using our current abilities, and you know as well as we do that this will simply end up being a wild goose chase. And besides, who knows what he's done to both of them? After all... Anko isn't without her... attributes and endowments..."

"This is your fellow shinobi we're talking about here…they're both from your village! How can you sound so… frivolous about the whole matter?"

Kiri's loud proclamation was filled with undisguised astonishment and condescension at the Chunin's leery suggestions, the vehement disgust apparent in his voice despite the sloppy pitter-patter of their running footsteps on the uneven terrain. Before Kankuro could rein in the crossfire however, Shimon's fellow comrade Tonbo Tobitake, the oddly bandaged upper part of his entire head already making some of the division members clearly uncomfortable, had already shoved his own partner hard enough for him to fall out of line and crash in an unbefitting manner onto the wet, muddy ground.

"We do as our commander bids us, Shimon, no questions asked. Ibiki-_sensei_ has already given us strict instructions earlier with regard to the matter. We may understand exactly why we have to do so, but we obey our orders. That is the way we have been trained, haven't we?"

"And blindly following these orders will just get us all killed, isn't it, Tonbo? Have you and Mawashi not asked yourselves why the three of us are with this wretched team now instead of following him?"

"We have been assigned our roles because of our sensor skills, Shimon," a third, bespectacled Konohagakure Chunin made his presence known, his voice much less raucous than the first two as he placed his hands firmly on his comrade's shoulders before bringing his voice down to a low whisper. "And after what's just been transmitted to us by HQ, I believe Ibiki-_sensei_ told us to guide our fellow shinobi on this particular mission… so that… in case anything happens to him in the big fight… where Naruto is with Madara Uchiha… Konohagakure can still have its interrogation force and its intelligence division intact. You get my drift?"

Though his unsightly bangs were covering his eyes, it was evident that Mawashi Dokuraku's cautionary words had managed to strike a chord with his imprudent teammate. In the tranquility of the falling rain, Shimon sat dumbfounded by his friend's ominous suggestion, and it seemed as if the haunting reality had just hit him as he mouthed "Ibiki-sensei" inaudibly, the sensation crawling through his skin eliciting a visible shiver. Allowing his more composed comrade to help him up a few moments later, the male Chunin wore a much more harried look than before as the brevity of those grim words sank in fully. He raised his head to face the rest of the team and offered an apologetic bow, announcing feebly that he would carry his duties out to the best of his capabilities with no further impetuous outbursts.

As the division moved along following Hoheto's directions, Kankuro could not help but keep harbouring on Mawashi's wistfully wise words. It seemed as if some of the shinobi present back at Darui's assemblage seemed to have exhibited some form of unwarranted fear of future possible developments despite the allied forces' successes the past two days thus far. Although they had suffered heavy losses as well, the events that had taken place in the preceding hours should have emblazoned the soldiers with more confidence than ever, yet the morose looks on some of their comrades' faces as his platoon was about to depart lingered wearily deep in the recesses of his mind.

"White Zetsus! They're going to reach some of our soldiers soon!"

Tokuma's fervid cry rang discordantly in the midst of the multiple splashes he and his comrades were causing with their frantic feet. The Hyuuga's sudden announcement broke the thoughts of many of the shinobi, and had his fellow clansmen firing up their _Byakugan_ and increasing the range of their dojutsu. Hiashi gasped out loud as he caught up with Tokuma's brisk alacrity, his visual prowess revealing to him a similar scenario that he had uncovered earlier in the day when he was at Shizune's medical compound.

"Something... or someone... has triggered another wave of White Zetsus indeed, General Darui, General Kitsuchi!" the revered leader of the Hyuugas exclaimed, taking care to address the two younger males by their titles even if he was older than them. "It seems like they're moving underground and targeting Division Two's troops yet again!"

"Kabuto probably wants them to attack the group he has the highest chance of eliminating for good!" Kitsuchi bellowed in response, his beady eyes burning with unquenchable hatred as he forged ahead at Darui's side. "Division Two has suffered the heaviest losses according to Headquarters, and with the forested terrain they have to traverse, they'll definitely be in the Zetsus' mercy again!"

"Send a message to Inoichi-_san_, and get Headquarters to alert Division Two's Communications unit immediately," Darui muttered to Bekkou and Mizuko, both sensors nodding immediately, despite the hesitance they felt at having to trouble Inoichi Yamanaka this soon after his most recent exertion at having addressed all members the Alliance troops using the fearsome Chakra Transmission Communication Device back at Kumogakure.

The latter chanced a fleeting glimpse at the few Konoha Chunin running a few feet behind, whispering to Bekkou to contact Ao instead. While Shikamaru and his peers had seemed particularly re-energised by Inoichi's foretelling message of victory, having addressed everyone with the telepathic missive that Uzumaki Naruto of Konohagakure and Killer Bee of her home village Kumogakure were fighting for their lives and somehow gaining the upper hand against the being they had thought to be Madara Uchiha under that spiral mask, Tokuma's announcement had them all wearing grave, austere looks once again.

"He will be fine, Tenten... Neji... he and the rest of our friends will be fine. We will get there in time to help them."

With her arms still stretched back and her hands trailing behind, Tenten cocked her head to the left and acknowledged her friend's verbal encouragement. Just minutes earlier, she had observed the two lads in front visibly cheering at Inoichi's rousing message while she wondered if Guy-_sensei_ would be safe at the main battle arena with his fervent vigour and rash behaviour. Though she had allayed her own fears with the reminder that Kakashi-_sensei_ would ensure nothing adversely unpropitious happened to her mentor, she was still worried that Guy might end up biting more than he could chew even if she knew he was a formidable opponent.

"I'm... I'm fine, Ino. Just taking in what your father said earlier. I'm sure you're glad to have heard his voice, even if it was only for those few seconds."

The blonde Chunin lowered her eyes and turned back to face Chouji's broad, red-clothed back, lost in her own thoughts about the ANBU's appearance a little more than half-an-hour ago. With their stealth and clandestine methods, the well-trained ANBU members must be traveling at a much faster pace than them, and could get to Naruto's battle way before the divisions. Still, Ino continued to be racked by a curious anxiety that had crept into her veins ever since she heard Hoheto's conversation with Tokuma, even when her father's endeavour to contact the troops in such an audacious manner had actually kindled the embers within.

"I wish... I just wish Father was here with me at this very moment, that's all."

Tenten felt an awkward tugging of her heartstrings at her friend's pensive mood and she instinctively reached out to entwine her fingers with hers. Though she might not have grown up with an intact home and her family members by her side, she had learnt, in the past day, that family ties were something worth cherishing and not something to be jealous about. She knew that Inoichi had always indulged in his only daughter, sometimes a tad too much, but he had also treated Tenten with much respect and care every time she visited the Yamanaka household. Her very recent conversation with Ibiki Morino might have cleared the air a little, but she knew that she had so many more questions for him, C, Kurotsuchi and Kitsuchi later, for her mind was still swimming with fractiously convoluted thoughts of her own family and the calamities that had befallen her parents.

"Ao says that he's informed Division Two and also the medical and logistics unit," Bekkou was now reporting to Darui and Kitsuchi. "Trouble is, these two groups are really near each other, and if the White Zetsus do reach Division Two, he's afraid that Shizune's medics could be compromised as well, especially since they're moving in the forests. From there, they may even be able to get to Division Three but by then, the troops should already have passed by ahead and made their way to Naruto."

"We can't let that happen! We are sorely dependent on the medics, and we won't be able to tell what will happen at the battlefield later!"

"We are already taking the shortest route possible to get to them as soon as we can, General Darui," Hiashi replied as he ran alongside the platoon leader. "Once we reach the forests however, our progress will be impeded, and we will have to slow down..."

"Then we will level the forests as much as we can so that we can get to them quicker!"

Shikamaru Nara almost froze in his tracks as he heard Temari's vitriolic, meretricious holler; turning his head slightly he saw that the spunky blonde had vaulted forward in the wake of the latest developments, wearing a scathingly resolute facade as she went ahead with her reckless suggestion, not even bothering to respond to the male teen she had locked lips with not too long ago.

"Are you crazy? How can we do that? There're... living things... trees hundreds of years old..."

"We will worry about them the next time the world comes to an end, Hyuuga!" the Suna wind goddess rebutted, not even allowing Tokuma to finish his sentence. "We have enough _Tessenjutsu_ users here, and quite a number of Doton experts based on what I've observed. And with Tenten and the Bashosen, we can definitely succeed!"

Shikamaru felt his throat go dry as Temari's bold words registered in his mind, the moving gears in his head actually agreeing with the blatantly brassy idea. He could see that the leaders were contemplating such an audacious move, and even Hiashi was cautiously adding that Tenten had already exacted a similar feat earlier in the day while defending the medical compound. Opening his mouth to moisten his parched throat with the falling rain, the dark-haired teen threw another look at the four bunched-up spiky ponytails a few feet ahead of him, and could not help but snigger. Even though Temari had urged him the day before to take his role as the proxy commander of Division Four more seriously due to his reputation as a teen strategist, it seemed that his fellow proctor of the most recent Chunin Exams was displaying some fine leadership skills of her own after all.

"You've heard the plan, people! That's how we are going to roll!"

Kitsuchi's voice rang above the melodious pitter-patter of the downpour, and Tenten felt Ino's hand give hers a reassuring squeeze. The blonde sensor must have understood her friend's jitters at the thought of yet another large-scale battle, this time to save the lives of their comrades of yet another division. Tenten returned the comforting gesture, willing herself to think positively and stem the bile rising in her oesophagus, praying that they would be able to reach Neji and the rest in time.

"They're approaching."

Karui blinked a few times at the young Jounin's curt utterance, unsheathing her katana instinctively as her legs continued propelling her along, keeping pace with the Alliance soldiers in front of her. Having received instructions from the squad leaders, entire platoons of Division Two were thronging ahead at full speed, eager to get out of the forested terrain before disaster struck.

Having been utterly focused on reaching their destination in the shortest time possible, Hinata and her fellow Hyuuga clansmen had neglected to extend their Byakugan beneath the earth they were running on, only doing so when the Headquarters sent an urgent message through their communications unit. Though as rattled as the rest of her comrades, the Kumogakure redhead had kept to her promise of keeping a vigilant eye on the Konoha warrior under her care and she was now frowning when she saw that he once again had his _Byakugan_ triggered, his flowing locks doing little to hide the pulsing vessels around his eyes.

"You have to stop, Hyuuga. You shouldn't drain yourself like this. We already know the White Zetsus are coming and we are..."

"Don't talk to me as if I am an invalid. I can still fight."

Neji Hyuuga's clenched teeth made his words come out less audible than they could have been, but Karui heard every word, as did the few Konoha soldiers around her. She turned back slightly to look at Kiba Inuzuka running just a few steps behind his canine companion; Akamaru had been tasked to be Neji's steed for the time-being after the latter had shown signs of passing out once more.

"Karui doesn't mean it like that, Neji," Hana Inuzuka's soothing timbre did little to placate the stymied young man. "Rest your eyes, so that when we have to fight later, your vision won't affect..."

"My vision is fine, damn it! Stop coddling me as if I am a..."

"A child? Is that what you want to say, Neji? Because very ironically you're acting like one."

The unmasked lower half of Shino Aburame's face had made his voice come across much clearer than before, and his words stung Neji's pride greatly. The hooded youth went on to extol the virtues of patience and the follies of acting heedlessly due to one's precipitant whims, pausing momentarily only when his incensed peer interrupted him.

"I'm not here to listen to your goddamned speech, Shino!"

"Yes, Neji, you're here to fight," the Aburame persisted with an equally loud, derisive tone that was throwing an addled Kiba off-guard. "You're here to defend your comrades with your _Jyuuken_ and _Byakugan_, but unfortunately, your prowess has been compromised for some reason, and you keep straining yourself in spite of it. You're causing your friends to worry because you've been stubbornly refusing to power down, and even though Hinata's taken your position as squad leader, she still begged me to fall back to tell you two things: one, to stop using your _Byakugan, _and two... Tenten... Tenten is among the troops making their way here, coming to our aid."

It was Kiba and Akamaru who showed their exuberance with joyous yelps at Shino's announcement, but his target audience seemed to be now overcome by emotion. Two of Hana's dogs were keeping in step with Akamaru on either side just in case Neji faltered again, but knowing that Tenten was near enough to be within Hinata's ocular range was causing him to grip the white fur he held in his fists even tighter. The group kept a respectful silence, allowing the Hyuuga prodigy to come to terms with such an eventful revelation, not knowing that how he truly felt was far from what they were expecting.

It was not that the news was bringing Neji delirious joy that was causing his wordless response; rather, it was the realisation that his own Byakugan had not been able to pick that information up that was making his insides churn with unbridled agony.

"They... they are approaching."

The repetition was expelled in an urgent whisper, and Karui was quick to exclaim that he really needed to deactivate his dojutsu; it was only when he turned to face her did she see that Neji had actually obeyed and his porcelain complexion was free of the unsightly creases and bumps of engorged blood capillaries that accompanied the famed Byakugan.

"No, I can hear them. The White Zetus... they are coming."


	132. Chapter 132

**Part 12: Reunited We Fall (2)**

"Squads five, seven and ten! Fall back! The rest of us keep moving on! The Zetsus! They're appearing in front of us as well! We can't let them surround us!"

The figure, clad in standard Kirigakure war attire and the standard forehead protector with the '_Ren_' _kanji_ engraved around the middle, staggered back in consternation as dozens of human soldiers swarmed past him to face yet another wave of enemy troops. Recoiling at the smallest jolt, wincing at the slightest bump, he moved in almost direct contradiction with the rest of his charging comrades who were rallying in their boisterous clamour, as if the impact of their vociferous war cries would take the enemy down a notch or two.

"You move or you die, Kirigakure dude! What's the matter with you?"

He blinked stupidly, five seconds late into realising that the woman dressed in a deep red sleeveless outfit was actually addressing him, her face knotted into a flagrant display of outright condescension. She glared at him for just a moment longer before propelling herself forward with a sprightly spring in her step, clearly fuelled by the sense of pressing exigency that had also devoured the rest of the troops.

"K… Kiri... Kirigakure… "

The man stared hard at his callused palms and fingers, wondering aloud about the unfamiliar term that the female had used on him; it was only now that he was observing how he was wearing a grey jacket over black shirt and pants, and a belt holster of sorts was hanging around his entire waist with various pouches that seemed to be bulging with different items. The pinstriped material he had on as his wrist-guards seemed to be similar to the greaves around his calves, merging into his sandals that were now crusted with brown earth.

"Kirigakure."

He felt his eyelids stretch themselves wide as a greenish-white being emerged from the ground, its fearsome form wearing a vicious snarl on its face and spiky protrusions on its shoulders and back. The atmosphere was already filled with jarring clangs and ear-piercing cries that were echoing around the forested terrain, and the stupefied male found his throat utterly parched and unable to produce a single audible sound, his back rubbing painfully against the prickly bark of a sturdy tree trunk. The naked, white-skinned humanoid held his gaze with its own gleaming yellow irises, and it seemed as if at any moment, it would pounce on him with its razor-sharp and pointed teeth.

"What are you doing? Why are you still wearing… that… that skin? The whole game's up, don't you know? You're lucky you haven't been discovered and killed!"

A chill went down his spine as it suddenly registered in his convoluted stream of consciousness that the humanoid white demon had actually spoken to him, its husky voice surprisingly soothing to the ear. The man's deep inhalation as he tried backing further into the unmoveable tree only fortified his current state of tremulous bewilderment, and it was the White Zetsu that was now returning his astonished look, its threatening scowl having transformed into a disbelieving frown. The shared perplexity between the two proved to be the flaxen figure's undoing, for in the next moment, its entire body was rendered asunder by a cogent force that had hit it from behind.

"_Hakke Kuushou_!"

The tremendous force that had torn the Zetsu apart came from a compressed vacuum shell of the Hyuuga clan's famed _Jyuuken_ Gentle Fist, the high-speed palm thrust having been pinpointed at its vital points by the _Byakugan_ from a credible distance. The muted man's harrowed look did not seem to lose its intensity despite having been seemingly rescued from certain death by the Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm technique – in fact, if anything, he appeared even more terrified than ever, his breaths being expelled in rapid rasps, the beads of perspiration forming on his forehead merging with the falling rain to trickle down his burning neck.

"Sir, are you all right?"

Amidst the Zetsu's wet sloppy remains, the teen male that had landed shakily seemed to be in a flux of his own; it was evident from his crouching posture and heaving chest that he was not having the best day either, and that the move that he had just pulled seemed to have taken a toll on him. The 'Kirigakure' man strained his eyes so hard that they were soon brimming with fresh tears as they took in the long jet-black hair plastered on the fair skin and green flak jacket, utterly petrified by the sight of the pulsing, protruding blood vessels around the pupil-less white eyes.

The same _Byakugan_-activated eyes that had belonged to the white-haired, horned demoness that had annihilated his entire village.

His mind was reeling at the sudden invasion of the image that was now triggering dozens of others that were exploding with a vengeance, as if they were being expunged from the labyrinth depths of his brain. The incessant bombardment of his psyche was happening with such expeditious force that he felt himself falling through a dark abyss, and it was then that he finally located his voice box, screaming at the memories of his family members and fellow villagers being ensnared by the Rabbit Goddess's coiling branches that were connected to the majestically immense boughs that had appeared all over the land. Another dazzling image displayed how the contorting form of a White Zetsu, so similar to the one that he had just seen being torn apart, morph into the form of the brown-haired Kirigakure man it had sucked the life force from under the cover of night.

The psychological barrage ended only with the vivid recollection of a fiery spiky-haired young man, his whole body glowing with an iridescent yellow and zipping effortlessly through the forest, sent the Kirigakure-clad White Zetsu imposter and a few others flying through snapping tree branches with one single blow. While the others had then transformed into trees, the 'Kirigakure' soldier had somehow escaped the nefariously iniquitous impact of Uzumaki Naruto's miraculous god-like abilities which had effectively eliminated the deception of the White Zetsu impostors all around the land.

"Sir, are you all right?"

He opened his eyes to find the same fair-skinned youth staring down at him, his _Byakugan_ now deactivated, his long rain-soaked hair swept to his right. The man emitted a small gasp, but felt less disoriented as he met the Hyuuga's gaze, knowing that he was in an extremely precarious position, even if he was totally uncertain why the long-forgotten memories of a past life had abruptly resurfaced in the middle of such a long-drawn battle. He knew he should have died all those years ago, and that he should have died again under the fearsome hands of the Nine Tails Jinchuuriki earlier in the afternoon.

"I... I'm fine... I... I seem to have lost my bearings somewhat... my powers... my... my abilities... they seem to be ... to be... I mean... they're acting up somehow..."

He saw how his suave saviour's expression soften as if he could comprehend his current situation, no matter how bizarre it was and how inwardly, he could still not come to terms with what had happened. Attempting to sit up, he found that the Hyuuga teen's arm was still supporting his back, his hand gripping his shoulder firmly as he guided him upwards into a sitting position. It was only then that the 'Kirigakure' man learnt that they were not alone - just a few feet away stood a dark-skinned young swordswoman with auburn red hair and a scowling youth with two red fang-like stripes painted on his cheeks, his large canine companion sniffing the air religiously for any sign of White Zetsus.

He froze, realising once again that the 'life' he knew could be ended right at this very moment.

"I'm Neji. Hyuuga Neji."

The voice of his benefactor reached his ears even if they were surrounded by boisterous shouts and crunching thuds all over, and he swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat; he found himself reminiscing the time he had introduced himself to his wife, a woman he had fallen head over in heels with eons ago and who did not mind his humble farmer background, and the picture of the three-eyed demoness floating right in front of his home village hit him straight in the gut once again - an image of a once highly regarded and beloved goddess utterly oblivious to the awe and terror that had scoured the lands across their doomed world as the malevolent being combined her powers of the Rinne Sharingan and Byakugan to enslave the world's hapless inhabitants.

Two seconds later, the brown-haired man clad in the standard war outfit donned by Kirigakure's soldiers found himself muttering a strange name with his intense eyes brimming with hot tears that were thankfully veiled by the rainfall - a name that had long been forgotten since a despotic Kaguya Otsutsuki created her world of ideal peace using the Infinite Tsukuyomi, a name that had been thrown away ever since he was assimilated by the genjutsu into the Shinju and transformed into yet another identity-less White Zetsu.

"I... I am Mitsurugi. Heishirou Mitsurugi."


	133. Chapter 133

**Part 12: Reunited We Fall (3)**

"Tenten? You... You're asking... what Tenten is like?"

He felt the warmth rise to his pallid cheeks, though he knew that it would hardly register on them in the eyes of the others - after all, having been trained to become an emotionless assassin for his village had taught him how to bury anything he felt a long time ago. For a few moments, he thought that his green-clad comrade was actually uncharacteristically portraying some suspicion towards his equally anomalous words - the moment they left his pale lips that were currently being moistened by the increasingly large raindrops, he knew he should not have spoken them.

"Tenten's just probably the greatest _bukijutsu_ user ever!"

Lee's impassioned response a second later allayed his fears as he began bragging about his female teammate's polymathic knowledge about ninja tools, his voice filled with steadfast gusto as he spoke of Tenten's irrevocable expertise with weaponry. The way the fleet-footed youth was routinely gushing, it was if the kunoichi had an unparalleled and intricate connection with every single tool sealed in her scrolls, as if each was a living thing worthy of her respect and admiration and capable of being manipulated in any way she desired.

Though the ex-Root member had only managed to witness the Chunin's prowess a few times, he could visualise his friend's fervent, raving testimony in his mind, understanding fully well that Lee's words were not simply prate and prattle. The memory of he and Shikamaru almost falling prey to a gigantic winged chimeric beast was swiftly replaced by a vision of Tenten's unravelling scrolls releasing thousands of kunai tied with burning explosive tags with her _Soushoryuu_ techniques, the entire stratosphere filled with the speedy blades slicing through the air as they locked on to their doomed target. He recalled that he was not the only one present in the wake of Naruto and Kakashi's earth-shattering battle with Hiruko who had been left duly impressed and utterly astonished by the sheer volume of Kibaku Kunai that had been unleashed by Tenten's Twin Risng Dragons jutsu and the blinding detonation that followed. Learning from Division Three communications experts that she had been directly involved in bringing down a resurrected Hiruko and his minions earlier in the day was certainly enhancing the sense of awe and esteem he held for her, and for someone who had had his emotions almost totally eradicated by Danzo Shimura's unorthodox training, that was saying something.

He knew however, that his question for Lee was not sparked by a sudden interest in learning more about Tenten's skills; rather, what had provoked such an inquiry was the chilling realisation that had been nagging at his ragged nerves for hours. Ever since discovering the photo the dead red-haired Kirigakure kunoichi was clutching in her hand, the dark-haired teen's thoughts had been flooded with the buried memories of Miyame Gekkou and her husband, both of whom he had single-handedly assassinated under Danzo's orders almost a lifetime ago. The explicitly vivid images of how he had wordlessly decapitated a screaming man's head and subsequently slit the throat of his wife some minutes later after a fiercely intense melee combat were now bombarding his mind and sending him reeling, so much so that his footsteps were hardly keeping up with his energetic Konoha peer's.

"Sai! Are you all right?"

Half-expecting Lee to be the one who would have caught him teetering over, the youth found himself in the arms of a dark-skinned teen whose thick, bushy shock of white spiky hair was stubbornly defying gravity and the assiduous rainfall. Donning his village's standard white one-strapped flak jacket over his deep grey outfit, Omoi of Kumogakure was now gazing at a disoriented Sai with his large, dark eyes accentuated with lines curving upwards from the corners. The lollipop he was perpetually sucking on belied the contemplative scowl he usually wore, his expression suggesting that his mind was always caught up in deep thought - and this time, it seemed as if the young swordsman's sempiternal tendency to appear overwrought with worry all the time was no longer totally unfounded.

"The Intelligence and Communications team... the sensors... they're saying that Division Two may be in trouble with more White Zetsus. The forested terrain will make it difficult for the troops to evade their ambush and if they get past our comrades, they'll be jumping onto the medical unit as well, and we can't afford to let that happen."

Though he was the one who had bolstered Sai's fall, Omoi was wasting no time in rallying an emergency squad to provide reinforcements for Division Two instead of checking why the flustered Konoha combatant had tripped over, the concern for his own sister being blatantly obvious no matter how subtle he was trying to be about it. By now it was an open secret to most of the troops that Division Two had suffered some severe losses since the start of the inane battles the day before, especially with a substantial number of their soldiers having been redeployed together with their commander to provide critical aid for Darui's forces. The absence of General Kitsuchi and other key personnel had adversely affected the survival rate of the second division's soldiers, whose close-range melee combat tactics had proven to be less than efficacious in dealing with their adversaries in such contiguous quarters.

"Headquarters is saying that our division won't be affected, and General Darui and General Kitsuchi are already leading some reinforcement troops to help," Maki chipped in, her brows as furrowed as Omoi's lips were turned downwards. "Apparently they're taking a shortcut and will be leveling the forests in order to reach Division Two as quickly as possible..."

"Leveling the forests?" Sai managed a soft murmur as he planted his sandaled feet firmly on the wet undergrowth. "How... how are they going to do that?"

"Darui's current squad seems to have some _Tessenjutsu_ users from Sunagakure," replied Omoi, tilting his head slightly at Maki and her fellow sealing team members. "And General Kitsuchi and his daughter are around, capable of excavating the earth as well."

"And somehow one of your Konoha kunoichi has actually... salvaged one of the artifacts that once belonged to the Sage of the Six Paths," another Kumo ninja named Kayui spoke, his reposeful manner a welcomed change from the queasy edge that had crept up the group that was seemingly oblivious to the throngs of wet, bothered soldiers filing past in with an unrelenting purpose, the rhythmic beats of their footsteps echoing stringently as they crescendoed out of the wooded area with gratified yelps. "According to Kumo's records, any normal human who wields any one of these Sage tools would have perished due to the immense toll on her chakra reserves, but it seems like your comrade has been..."

"It's Tenten, isn't it?" Sai could almost taste the glee in Lee's exuberant exclamation as he finally joined in the conversation, the mere mention of the kunoichi's name causing him to swallow hard. "If anyone from Konoha can manipulate an unorthodox ninja tool, it has to be Tenten!"

While Lee zealously regaled the rest with snippets of how his female teammate could seal and unseal even ladders and ships with her extraordinary _fuinjutsu_ capabilities, Sai found himself attempting to stem the astounding acceleration of his beating heart. The tingles that were traveling down his ramrod spine were definitely triggered by his understanding of where this particular discussion was heading, with Lee's indefatigable voice droning in and out of his consciousness like bees buzzing around their hives. The potential possibility of coming face to face with the weapons mistress much earlier than expected was making him scream silently from within, something that he had never had to deal with before he accepted the late Danzo Shimura's task of becoming part of Team Seven with Kakashi Hatake, Yamato, Uzumaki Naruto and Haruno Sakura.

"It is Tenten indeed, but now's hardly the time to be raving about your teammate, Lee."

The gathered shinobi shifted their stances slightly as two men wearing Konohagakure's green flak jackets came into view, the speaker's lengthy, auburn ponytail cascading luxuriantly down to his lower back as his slanted eyes roved over the motley assembly. As if he was disgruntled at being left out, Santa Yamanaka was addressing the younger soldiers in a captiously disparaging tone while his dark-haired, goateed partner remained sullenly silent for the moment. Announcing gravely that their main mission was to get to Naruto and the team facing the mysterious masked villain as quickly as possible, it looked as if Omoi's initial plans of gathering his peers to make a run for Division Two were about to be foiled.

"That said, we... we all have... comrades we care about... who are fighting for their lives again right now."

Visibly startled, Santa spun around to face the older man who had just made his voice heard, the low, mellow baritone revealing not very illusively his true thoughts about the matter. As the Yamanaka clansman mumbled "Ensui-_san_..." in an outrightly dumbfounded manner, Sai glanced at the fatigued face of the Nara ninja, studying the dark green markings under his dark eyes before locking on them with his own shimmering irises. The resolution he found within them was incongruously impossible to deny, and Lee's previously uttered words that had heightened his understanding of friendship replayed in his mind, once again magically fueling his own sense of righteousness and determination.

"Shikamaru and his team, and my old pal Tsume Inuzuka are among Darui's squad, and Tsume's children are in Division Two," Ensui said gruffly as more shinobi hovered around them. "Plus I owe Shikaku, the head of my clan, a huge debt, so I can't leave his son in uncertain danger. I say we move towards them right now and see what we can do to help. It's just a slight detour... we can move faster with your sensor abilities, Santa... and it makes little difference whether we reach Naruto together with our divisions or not at this point of time. We're supposed to be converging with the other divisions soon anyway."

His mouth slightly agape as he witnessed the accumulation of forces that were seemed unwavering in their dogged earnestness, the pasty-skinned teen exchanged a swift look with Lee, whose entire being was engulfed by such overpowering ardour that it seemed to be seeping from his pores. Sensing that it was futile to delay the inevitable, Sai picked up the hefty scroll that he had dropped moments ago and started increasing the pace of his footsteps together with his comrades, his mind racing with discordant thoughts on how to break the news to Tenten that he had killed both her parents back on his very first solo mission.

"Guy! Stay back! Get ready to..."

The ensuing explosion was a signal for Konoha's Green Beast of Prey to catapult himself out of harm's way, his supreme speed allowing him to appear almost intangible as he retreated more than a hundred metres within a few seconds. Amidst the billowing smoke cascading across the battlefield, the gigantic earthern-coloured humanoid entity loomed ominously, the spike-like protrusions on its back adding on to its monstrous appearance. Might Guy was just about to propel himself forward again, but Kakashi's last command forced him to rein in the puissance he was ready to unleash.

"At the rate we're going, I may just very well have to open all Eight Gates, no matter what Kakashi says."

Keeping the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path strictly in his range, the Jounin cursed inwardly as he watched the Tailed Beasts continue wrecking havoc across the heavily pillaged land. While he and Kakashi had managed to reach Naruto and Killer Bee in time to render some much-needed assistance, it was evident that the quartet had more than their hands full with the masked Tobi, the behemoth statue and the six reanimated _Jinchuuriki_ stomping the grounds. Earlier, he had marveled at how he and Kakashi had managed to traverse across the vast distance with such perfunctory haste using a combination of his Gates prowess and Kakashi's unconventional skill of traveling underground, but now, even their heterodox capabilities seemed to be incommensurate when measured against the stupendous scale of their opponents.

"That.. that statue... ever since Tobi threw in the two containers into that demonic statue, it's been acting strangely... those Treasured Tools... I wonder what kind of power they're giving it now..."

The recollection of that memory and his current observation of the mammoth monstrosity were drawing Shikaku Nara's voice back into his head; while racing towards Naruto, Guy had had the chance to retrieve some information about his team from his fellow Konoha brethren. While he might not have extensive knowledge of the ninja tools that were created and once wielded by the legendary Sage of the Six Paths, he was well aware of how formidable these weapons were, and how portentous they could be.

Thus, a grievous dread had been sparked when Shikaku cautiously told Guy and Kakashi through Inoichi's telepathy about how Tenten had come into possession of one of those artifacts, and was apparently now using it indiscriminately while handling various _Edo Tensei_ resurrections and saving hundreds of lives in the process. The green-clad male seethed silently as he watched the being in his purple, high-collared mantle with the Uchiha crest on his back predominantly using the Gunbai Uchiwa like a flail and a shield with its chain attached to its owner's body from within his sleeve. The famed honourary 'Army Arrangement Fan', carved from a unique, sacred spirit tree, had been thought to be a lost relic until now, just like how the Bashosen was thought to have disappeared with the deaths of the Silver and Gold brothers of Kumogakure, yet now, during what he had had to admit was the fiercest battle of his life, it seemed that he was now going to bear witness to the revival of supposedly obliterated treasures of the past.

"She'll be fine, Guy," his eternal pal and rival had reassured him, his non-hidden eye drawing into a slit as the slightly protruding shape of his masked lips curved upwards. "Based on what Shikaku's shared, Tenten seems to have managed to overcome the side effects of the Banana Leaf Fan somehow. If not, I'm sure her friends would have stopped her from handling it."

Though he had acknowledged Kakashi's short rhetoric in his usual prurient way of rejoicing over his student's exalted status with her unexpected spoils of war, his notable grim solemnity and muted silence for the following minutes was clearly out of character for someone as intense and ardent as Might Guy. His mind had suddenly been filled with unfathomable scenarios of losing one of his teammates to the chakra draining effects of the Sage tools, something he had never considered before the start of the war. Inwardly chiding his brassy female student for forever being so inquisitive and vehement about her unquenchable love for ninja tools, he felt a weird sense of remorse emanating from his core, but he just could not put a finger to it.

"Shikaku... he was hiding something, wasn't he?"

Despite Kakashi's preceding attempt to allay his friend's fears, he had also been unable to deny the fact that he had also sensed the Nara Jounin's faltering hesitance when he was relaying the news. The nagging unease had returned once he Tobi had flung the Crimson Gourd and the Amber Purifying Pot into the Demonic Statue, of whether Shikaku Nara had been making use of Tenten's proficiency with the Bashosen to cut down the losses of the troops, but inevitably relegate her into playing the role of a sacrificial lamb for the greater good. Now, as he braced himself to blaze right back into battle with his own ninja tools, his hard-hitting SouShuuga Twin Attacking Fangs nunchakus with each of its handles intricately carved into the shape of a Chinese dragon-like creature, Might Guy prayed silently that his only female student would continue to be kept safe from the deadly effects of the Bashosen, the guilt of how he could have prepared her more for the onset of war gnawing gratingly at his nerve endings.

"That... that's the raw power... of the Bashosen?"

The stark incredulity was present on almost every bystander's face, and Jikyo blurting out everyone's thoughts somehow brought a cavalier snicker to the burly man's tanned face; as he re-tied the loosened red bandanna that his forehead protector was sewn into, Kitsuchi of Iwagakure, the eldest son of the village's Tsuchikage, heaved a deep sigh of repletion as he observed how the other soldiers were still in awe of the young kunoichi's ability to brandish the sacred feather fan despite how she had been utilising it for the benefit of the Alliance all this time. Even her division's olive-skinned commander appeared to still be caught up in his stupefaction, his dark eyes narrowing as they squinted from the blustery effects of the present large-scale defoliation taking place across the land.

"Tenten's aptitude with the Bashosen... it seems to be growing," Darui was now mumbling dourly as he turned to face the bearded general. "What she's displaying now greatly subverts what happened to her yesterday... the chakra draining effects of the fan don't seem to be eating away at her anymore."

"You do know that there's something about the sacred tool that the Konoha ninja seem to be holding back, don't you?"

"Shikaku-_san's_ probably told one of them something he's learnt back at Kumogakure but hasn't revealed it to us for some reason," Darui had to raise his voice in order for him to be heard over the innumerable tree trunks crashing cacophonously onto the ground. "Right now, it seems that we do need Tenten to continue using the Bashosen, judging from how our past few _Edo Tensei_ foes were brought down with her help, and what we are witnessing right now. You should be proud of your long-lost niece, Kitsuchi-_san_."

He felt the blood rush to his broad cheeks as he gave a gruff retort, turning back to observe the Konogakure teen performing more aerial swings together with the blonde sister of the Kazekage and her _Tessenjutsu_ team. As another substantial part of the forest tumbled obstreperously into oblivion, Kitsuchi found his thick lips curl upwards again at the thought of his fellow general's latest comment; while Darui passed on the message for the rest of the kaleidoscopic conglomerate to prepare to forge ahead at top speed, the stalwart Iwa shinobi paid a silent tribute to his dead brother, telling him that he wished he could see how proud he should be of his intrepid and valorous daughter. The irony that Tenten was a product of two shinobi from previously warring factions did not escape him, and as she gave another sturdy swing of her prized possession, Kitsuchi clenched his teeth as the photograph that Kurotsuchi had shown him a few short hours back resurfaced in his muddled mind, the distant memory of Matsuchi's hearty laughter chewing up his insides.

"_Daikamaitachi no Jutsu_!"

Temari waited for about ten seconds after activating her Great Sickle Weasel technique before she turned the few somersaults that brought her back to the sodden earth. The other _Tessenjutsu_ users had landed neatly behind her with their Giant Folding Fans, all staring wide-eyed at the lone figure staying afloat in the air. As the rain continued falling down in sheets, the blonde Jounin raised her eyes towards her past opponent, knowing that the vacuum pockets she and her team had created - by sending the air currents colliding with one another - would immediately be fortified by the Bashosen's empyreal, celestial powers.

"The wind slashes we've just created... they're cutting through the forest much faster and harder than ever!"

The stricken voice of a male fellow Sunagakure wind manipulator registered in her ears as she scrutinised the dark-haired girl swinging her Banana Leaf Fan two more times before flipping her lithe body back to solid ground a few dozen metres away. Waving her team forward as the rest of the squad, under Darui's command, started leaping into the ravaged land while the dusty squalls were dying down, Temari threw a glance at the bukijutsu expert as Team 10 surrounded her, offering her and her fellow Konoha peers a thumbs-up sign. Just as she broke eye contact with Tenten, she heard her exclaim exuberantly in her trademark plucky manner,

"Let's go, guys! I need to get to Neji as fast as I can!"


	134. Chapter 134

**Part 12: Reunited We Fall (4)**

The creature's primal instincts had elevated it to take flight even before the first tree trunks toppled precariously over and crashed resoundingly, as it flapped its soaked feathered wings together with the countless birds that had done the same. It felt its tiny heart give a slight lurch at the thought of its nest of eggs that it had left behind, certain that there was little it could have done to salvage the situation. As the atmosphere continued to be wrecked by the unearthly wind tempest that had manifested out of nowhere, the winged beast trilled in dismay at the loss of its unborn chicks, its grief shared by the relentless caws and squawks that had exploded across the land.

The dazed chestnut sparrow fluttered unsteadily in the heavy air as it followed the others, only aware of the need to keep a watchful eye out for any bird of prey present. It did not know how long it had been flying, but as the crimson skies started clearing, it tittered gratefully at the thought of not having to keep itself afloat in the midst of the falling rain anymore. Still, its drenched feathers were indeed weighing it down, and as its keen black eyes observed, many of its fleeing companions were starting to descend upon another forest. Hesitating for just one momentary pause, the little plump bird flapped its brown fatigued wings and readjusted its trajectory, soaring downwards in pursuit of the newly found trees.

The first thing the chunky songbird noticed as it landed on a lower branch was that its claws were gripping on to wood that was covered with a deep red coppery wetness. Its instincts were willing it to take to the air immediately again, once it realised that the blood it was standing on was warm and fresh. Within the next second however, it was rooted to the spot by the sight and looming presence of a white demonic figure with spiky protrusions hurtling towards it, its frozen state almost an absolute guarantee that its diminutive body would be crushed savagely within moments. Just before the bird met a messy end however, the broken body of its would-be killer was flung haplessly in another direction by an eruptive wind gust that blew the flaxen creature off its original course towards the trees. The passerine opened its stubby, pale yellow beak and gave a subdued chirp of appreciation before it flitted out of sight once more, acknowledging the pupil-less eyes of its dark-haired human benefactor clad in his green jacket.

Hinata Hyuuga rammed her left elbow right into the ribs of the Zetsu's gnarly, bizarrely shaped torso before spinning around and thrusting a kunai right into the back of its neck. A split second later, she was exacting a flurry of Jyuuken blows at breakneck speed, plowing through another line of supposedly mindless clones in a fluid and graceful manner that veiled the deadliness of those well-executed palm thrusts. Her Byakugan retained its impelling activity, scouring the extensive and indiscriminate surroundings for more White Zetsu clones shrouded within the towering trees and dense undergrowth, with the tiny capillaries pulsing rhythmically around her white eyes.

"The rain... it's stopped... but the sun's setting..."

The kunoichi halted momentarily at the scene of her cousin raising his head to watch a sparrow take off into the air, his own _Byakugan_ tracking the flight path of the winged creature he had just saved by blowing a ravaged Zetsu clone's body off course with his _Hakke Kuushou_ palm thrust. Though Hinata was at least fifty metres away from Neji and was separated from him by trees and battling combatants, she had been keeping a vigilant surveillance on him since even before the battle began when the Zetsus swarmed in from all directions - while the Alliance soldiers had been prepared for this ineluctable outcome, the forested terrain was once again proving to cause them much grief as it provided their treacherous foes with sufficient cover to blend into. With the impending sunset, visibility was dropping as well, with several shinobi already firing up their light flares, pumping light beams from their hands or torching bushes to ensure that dusk would not bring forth their doom.

As the Hyuuga heiress swung around to send another two leaping Zetsus flailing helplessly while their backs broke savagely against sturdy tree trunks, she frowned as she observed how the brown-haired Kirigakure soldier Neji had rescued about thirty minutes ago remained out of sorts, cowering a few metres behind his saviour and gripping on tightly to the bandaged handle of a long katana blade that seemed utterly unnatural and ineffectual in his trembling hands. Even if she could not hear him, Hinata was certain from studying his flared nostrils, the perspiration beading on his forehead and his perpetually quivering, moving lips that this man was facing some emotional affliction traumatic enough to render him into his paralysed stupor. Noting that Kiba, Hana and their canine companions were steadfastly fending the enemy clones off Neji and the Kiri soldier together with Karui did ease the tension a little, but the dark-haired Chunin could not stem the rising, conflicting tension about the latter, even if she kept telling herself it was silly to dwell on him. Having successfully rescued him had evidently given Neji a new sense of purpose since for the past minutes, Hinata had seen how her cousin was fighting tooth and nail to keep the Zetsu clones at bay and away from his newfound friend, his renewed vigour displaying a much welcomed return to his well-reputed form of a young taijutsu genius with groundbreaking tactics capable of throwing his enemies off.

"You notice it too, don't you Hinata? Something's not right with Neji's... new friend."

She started slightly as Shino Aburame landed almost noiselessly a few feet in front of her, even though her activated dojutsu had already registered her hooded teammate's presence in the preceding seconds. The ever mysterious youth peered from behind his dark glasses until he received an acknowledging nod, turning his head back to the direction where the others were fighting the clones. Before she could add her two cents however, Hinata's far-reaching eye prowess caught the entrance of reinforcement troops that were now flooding in from a few kilometres away, including many familiar faces that were sending tingles shooting up her spine and delightful jolts throughout her entire body. Just as she was about to relay the joyous news, Shino's abrupt switch in tone caught her off guard once more, the teeming urgency in his voice arresting her attention immediately.

"Hinata! My bugs are warning me about Zetsus amounting in the dozens about to exit an underground cave! Track them with your _Byakugan_ now!"

Neji Hyuuga winced as he spun his way out of his _Kaiten_, its trenchant effects having taken down at least another six Zetsu clones. He could feel that his chakra levels were starting to deplete at a dangerously fast rate once again, and his Byakugan had spied Shino and Hinata hurriedly leading a substantial number of shinobi eastward, an irrefutable indication that more trouble was brewing in that particular direction. Pausing momentarily and depending on his feral Inuzuka clan peers to tear bestially through the drone soldiers still rising from the damp and soggy earth, the Jounin strained his dojutsu to no avail, his inhalations and exhalations coming in loose pants as he realised it was refusing to pay heed to his will once again. Karui's steely voice resurfaced jarringly in his desperate mind and he squeezed his eyes shut in unadulterated frustration, feeling the capillaries around his eyes subside as he recalled

her earlier brusque warning about not causing his friends to worry and thus appear distracted and more vulnerable to the Zetsus' assaults.

"Stop looking so goddamned petrified all the time, you bloody coward! Your fear is literally drawing all these dreaded Zetsus to us!"

It took a second or two for the Hyuuga Jounin to learn that Karui was not barking at him but at a quailing Mitsurugi, the Kirigakure soldier whom he had rescued from death's vise-like clutches - the sight of the incapacitated man crouching behind a limp, crushed bush, his stricken eyes glazed over with the same intense terror that he had presented earlier, drove him once again to his direction. As Neji positioned himself protectively in front of the skulking figure, effectively drawing the ire of both the doughty Kumogakure swordswoman and an equally emphatic Kiba once more, Tenten's voice suddenly resounded loudly in his head once again,

"Yes... I am scared... about the war... about dying on some far-off battlefield."

It had occurred a few days ago, just before Konohagakure sounded its horns for the shinobi to move towards Kumogakure, where the five great nations were coming together for the first time ever in the history of civilisation. Lee had, in his usual perky and impetuous manner, declared passionately that they needed to bid farewell to the forest that they had grown up in, in the dwellings where they had honed their unique, individually specific skill sets. The air had been tight with tension when only Neji and Tenten had reached their usual haunt, both of them still grappling with their internal struggles after discovering that they would not be fighting together during the war, both unable... and unprepared... to divulge how they really felt about each other.

"You're scared too, aren't you? Even if you do hide it well... even if you're trying to reassure me..."

The day before, Tenten's softly mumbled but nonetheless piercing words had rung alarmingly in his head, when he had almost succumbed to the White Zetsu's baneful draining prowess. While he had been forced to come to terms with his mortality, Neji felt his neck becoming flushed at the memory of his partner's characteristically blunt yet rousing words - somehow, she was frequently able to read his mind, even if he had always attempted to appear as guarded as he could. Without waiting for an affirmative answer, Tenten had launched an attack with her wooden staff, starting one of the most intense, enthralling and ... intimate... training sessions the duo had ever participated in. He could not help but curl his pale, moistened lips upwards ever so slightly, his thoughts lingering on the almond-shaped brown eyes, button nose and thin, pinkish lips that made up her face.

"Neji! Watch out!"

Hana's frantic cry came from a few metres away, after everyone's attention was momentarily diverted by a staggering explosion that had boomed across the land from an even further distance. It took the preoccupied Hyuuga Jounin two seconds to regain his bearings, two seconds that he might not actually have - even then, his first instincts were to protect his Kirigakure charge, who continued mumbling incoherently in his inconsolable, disoriented state behind him. His left knee was slightly bent and he was already about to activate his _Kaiten_, but even as the dozen White Zetsu clones sprung into view from the overhanging leafy branches, Neji knew that he was probably too late in preventing any injury in the following moments. Tenten's words about dying in a faraway land surfaced ominously in his head again, and as his brows furrowed in response to the falling Zetsus, he wished that he could see his beloved just one last time.

"_Shinranshin no Jutsu_!"

"_Kagezukami no Jutsu_!"

"_Chouharite_!"

The corybantic atmosphere that had struck the chaotic arena was expeditiously elevated by the timely arrival of General Darui and General Kitsuchi's troops, and a harried Neji Hyuuga could almost feel his throat go dry as he witnessed the Ino-Shika-Cho trio's specialties throw his assailants completely off-guard, almost wondering aloud if Fate was having a merry time toying with his flummoxed emotions. His white eyes lit up in wonder as Shikamaru's Shadow Clutch Technique melded his own shadow trails together with those of five Zetsu clones', effectively binding them to him before slamming them savagely downwards to the earth with bone-shattering impact. The remaining confounded victims that Ino had captured with her clan's mystical Mind Body Disturbance Technique were also forced to land and move to a convenient spot, their will totally disconnected as they stumbled over, and met their infelicitous demise under Chouji's chakra-imbued Super Open Hand Slap, his enlarged palms crushing them with supreme efficiency.

"Wrong... this... this is all wrong... they're... we are humans too... this is wrong... this is all very wrong... we are humans..."

Mitsurugi's breathless, incongruous stammering was now strangely audible to Neji's ears, even though the reinforcements were causing an ebullient uproar all over the forested terrain, Division Two's flustered forces clearly euphoric with the return of their leader and comrades. He took in the sight of the distraught man's befuddling behaviour for a moment longer, but with his peers right in front of him, he could no longer pay heed to the paralysed soldier's disconcerted rambles and wide-eyed terror.

"Tenten's just a while away, Neji!" Shikamaru did not need his friend to verbalise his thoughts; seeing him scan his surroundings hurriedly after attending briefly to the Kirigakure soldier groveling behind was sufficient for him to quell the Jounin's inherent fears. "The explosion you heard earlier... that was Tenten and her Jidanda! She's helped Hinata and Shino take care the White Zetsus that were threatening to materialise from some underground caves!"

"You hear that, Hyuuga? Now stand down and conserve your chakra, for goodness sake!" Karui yelled in response to the Nara teen's announcement before striking out at another clone - the influx of Darui and Kitsuchi's men had somehow triggered the alacrity of the White Zetsus as they were leaping upon the Alliance soldiers with more ardour and zeal, inflamed with the knowledge that their final stand with the Shinobi Alliance was hardly going to end in their favour.

"It's all wrong... all these men... you're... you're killing all these men... my... my people... Kaguya... you monster... killing all my people..."

The White Zetsus that had passed the defence periphery predominantly made up of his peers were tackled without the need of his _Byakugan_, the adrenaline pumping through his arteries and veins fueling his body with a reignited fire required to fend off the surly demons. Choosing to ignore Mitsurugi's apparent worsening condition, Neji was narrowing his thoughts to only one person and one person alone - knowing that she was so near, yet so far, seemed to be turning his world topsy-turvy, and even though he had been warned by Karui to lay low, he told himself that sneaking a peek at his fellow teammate would not drain his chakra too much.

"I won't let you take us all again, Kaguya!"

"Neji! No!"

Ino's high-pitched shriek registered in his consciousness even before he felt the katana blade that had been thrust through his torso. The moment he had activated his _Byakugan_ to scour the land for his specific target, the moment he felt the capillaries around his eyes pulsate into life in their signature glory, the bearded stranger he had rescued earlier had rammed the sword right into his back with wild abandonment - ironically, it was his _dojutsu_ that was allowing him to study the unadulterated rage that was underlying the bulging eyes and clenched teeth, Mitsurugi's rabid expression a far cry from his demeanour just a few moments ago. Neji exhaled sharply as the blade left his flesh and organs in one swift motion, dropping to his knees the same time he felt a burst of copper flood his taste buds and trickle down his chin. He could see his deranged assailant about to follow his attack with another strike from behind, but knew that this time, his friends would undoubtedly stop his berserk action.

"_Shichisei Ranka_!"

The first two kunai whistled as they sliced the air thick with choking smoke, as if able to cut a neat line across the translucent billowy puffs, each stabbing a specific spot of its target's hands and causing him to drop the dull blade covered with a sheen of fresh blood with a clang. The next two pierced through his clavicle that was unprotected by his grey flak jacket and arrested his attention further, knocking the breath cleanly out of him with their pinpoint accuracy; as he staggered backwards, he left his arms open for the third pair of kunai that drilled into either bicep. Neji froze as he recognised the deadly familiar pattern even as he kept his back to the flailing Kirigakure male shinobi, and though he could feel more blood rising through his oesophagus, he managed a bellicose cry to thwart his female teammate's next move.

"Tenten! No! Don't kill him!"

True enough, the last kunai of the kunoichi's Seven Star Wild Lustre move was just inches away from piercing through Mitsurugi's exposed neck, but incredibly enough, the user was able to unleash yet another projectile blade that knocked the seventh kunai out of its trajectory path in time, causing both kunai to puncture through innocent bark and wood instead. Ignoring the gasps she had incited with her outlandish display of precision and veracity with the most basic of a shinobi's ninja tools, Tenten lurched forward as soon as she landed on her feet, almost desperately pouncing on the male teen who was still on his knees. Eyes brimming with hot tears as she knelt right in front of Neji Hyuuga, the weapons mistress could hardly find the right words to vocalise the turbulent thoughts that were tumbling through her imploding mind.

"You were right, Tenten."

Breaking the ice, Neji raised his right hand and very lightly... very tentatively... brushed his teammate's pallid cheek, the action drawing a stark exhalation from the girl. Knowing that he was smiling stupidly even though his peers were all surrounding them, he realised that he no longer cared about propriety or the need to maintain the cool, aloof disposition that he was well-reputed to have. Though the wounds through his torso were bleeding him out with an increasing amount of pain, he found himself more affected by the sight of a visibly tormented Tenten, whose lidded eyes and long lashes were moistened by the tears streaming down her face and quivering lower lip was being bitten by two of her upper teeth to stifle her sobs. He found his heart aching - was it possible to feel your heart ... actually hurt? - as he felt his own lids grow heavier, the depths of his consciousness unable to take in the rest of his comrades buzzing like drones around them. He found himself unable to hold his arm up any longer, and felt a shudder course through his entire being as he dropped it limply to his side, allowing his body to collapse into Tenten's enfolding arms.

Even as Ino and another male blond hovered around him with their medical ninjutsu skills at bay, Neji Hyuuga could only look up into his teammate's reddened eyes, whispering softly as his mind was transported into oblivion,

"You were right, Tenten... I am afraid of dying on some far-off battlefield... without you by my side... without you with me..."


	135. Chapter 135

**Part 12: Reunited We Fall (5) **_- A 'Dance of War' Tribute_

**This chapter is dedicated to the amazing creators of the short film 'Dance of War'. I only hope that this flashback chapter can do the short film some justice.**

**Please enjoy and support the short film!**

_The sun rays that flitted through the mildly sparse canopy seemed to be converging on a particular target board, one filled with immeasurable marks, many of which were etched so deeply into the wood that it seemed that just one more hit would break it into pieces. Yet, the next kunai blade embedded itself with an audibly dull 'thunk', proving that the well-used board was still capable of meeting the needs of its most frequent user, its shelf life extended indefinitely despite its years of servitude. The sunlight that was still shining on the target board now seemed to be glorifying its victory, its reflective glitter sending blinding shards that assaulted the tiny shimmering orbs of the few birds fluttering their wings to evade the invisible, non-existent enemy._

_Neji Hyuuga watched as another group of nesting birds took to the air, tittering shrilly in retaliation at their siesta being so rudely interrupted in the middle of a sultry afternoon. Their chirpy indignation went scurrilously ignored, for less than a few seconds later, there was another insipid puncture that indicated one more hit for his female teammate. Somehow, the mundane rhythmic thuds of sharpened metal driving through wood were making the male Jounin oddly edgy; the duo had been waiting for the arrival of their third team member for just five minutes or so but the deafening wordless silence between them was causing the butterflies in his stomach to burst forth from their cocoons._

_"Hinata told me... Hiashi-_sama_ appointed you as the Hyuuga clan's key representative for your division... she said you'd be one of the squad leaders of Division Two."_

_Tenten's tone was even as she relayed those words, as if there was nothing more to the day's meeting than just sharing that she was privy to this particular piece of information. As the vicinity continued to be filled with random squawks and chirrups with every one of Tenten's kunai hitting bullseye on the numerous target boards hung all around, her stumped partner took more than a few seconds to cough up an acknowledgement of her statement, barely able to even verbalise a half-hearted "Yes" in response. Neji was genuinely flummoxed by the dearth of communication between him and Tenten - it was not that long ago when she had appeared all torn up and disconcerted by the idea of them being split up in two different divisions, and just two days after they had a training session with their friends when she had appeared genuinely touched by his words of affirmation. It was totally unlike her to appear this taciturn, and he could not believe that he was even actually toying with the idea of actuating his _Byakugan_ just to catch a glimpse of her facial expression since she seemed adamant in keeping her brooding back to him._

_"How long is he going to keep us waiting?" he growled darkly and crossed his arms even tighter after another two minutes of bearing with the undue, oppressive tension mounting in his head, choosing to revert to the gruff, fractious self he reserved for the routinely farcical and ludicrous situations that Might Guy and Rock Lee usually got the team into. "What type of 'ceremony' is this supposed to be anyway? It's just like him to be late when he was the one who requested prompt attendance."_

Thunk_._

_This time, Tenten turned around and, with a kunai spinning deftly in her fingers two seconds before she launched it straight into the board a few metres from where Neji was standing, exposed her side profile to him. The Hyuuga teen stood transfixed for just a moment by the sight of the umpteenth blade she had released in the forest over the past years lodged in the middle of the ravaged wood, before finally taking in the sight of the laconic grimness that his female Chunin partner had contumaciously decided to wear that day._

_He had trailed her earlier to their training ground, choosing to keep his distance because he had been uncertain what he should have said to her. Thus, he had only been staring at her back all this time since she had only acquiesced the greeting of her name with a slight deferential nod earlier. Now, Neji inhaled as he saw, for the first time, how Tenten looked like close up in Konohagakure's standard dull green flak jacket, her long blue sleeves accentuating the air of solemnity that seemed to have devoured his usually gregarious, perky teammate. With her hair pulled tightly into her signature twin buns, the contours of her unblemished face remained unhidden from view, and he could see that she was keeping her jaw clenched as she let fly yet another mysteriously unsheathed blade from her palm._

Thunk_._

_Neji was now gritting his own teeth, and the fire in his belly was enkindled by the girl's stoic stance - the 'butterflies' he had felt a while ago had probably all been consumed by his gastric flames. He knew from experience that Tenten could definitely feel how baffled he was at the moment, and it was totally unlike her to be so caught up in her own musings to be blatantly ignoring him in such an implacable manner. His nerves abraded beyond words, he felt the air rush out of his nostrils as he attempted once more to shift her attention to Lee's tardiness._

_"Where has all your anger gone?" he bristled visibly as the weapons mistress, still avoiding any form of eye contact, brought her next kunai close to her left cheek, the sunlight reflecting off the dull blade giving it a temporary shiny sheen before it was launched swiftly right into the middle of another unsuspecting board._

Thunk_._

_Before the few forcefully displaced leaves could touch the ground, and as more birds took flight in trepidation of Tenten's flying kunai, Neji was already vocalising his following thought, the vexation apparent in his gruff baritone as he fought to keep his voice down, knowing that he had to be sounding like an unreasonable ruffian at this point, "You're usually the one to rant... to scold Lee."_

Thunk_._

_"Are you listening?" the Jounin asked desperately, knowing immediately once the three words left his pursed lips that it was the most asinine thing he could have ever said. Feeling that he was about to hit boiling point when he saw that a dour Tenten was still obstinately keeping her own pink lips together, Neji finally asserted his rankled presence by unleashing an imperious "Hey!" the same split second that his teammate released her next steel projectile. This time, his one-syllabled bellow yielded some results for the kunai failed to hit its mark; as if a sudden kinetic force had thrown it out of it's designated path, the blade swerved once it left its owner's callused hand and ricocheted off the heavily scabrous bark of a tree trunk that resolutely stood its ground, dropping to the earth with a lifeless thud._

_"He calls it the 'Farewell to Youth' ceremony... to say 'thank you' to the place we all grew up as ninja..."_

_Neji was following the trajectory of the last blade, from how it flew right out of the kunoichi's bare hand to its ignobly debauched fall from grace due to his belligerent yell, when he snapped his head back once he finally heard her reply, the words flowing out of her mouth with a slow, deliberate cadence. It was as if Tenten's voice was the antidote to a poison running through his veins, as if it was the suture to an open wound on his flesh - he found himself blushing subconsciously after absorbing the sheer sombre dreariness in her words and he was immediately chiding himself for having taken such a harsh and aggressive tone with her._

_"He... he's just being too sentimental, as usual," he replied uncertainly, this time keeping his volume and decibel to a more gentlemanly, amiable level, secretly heartened that his partner was still not facing him and therefore unable to notice the colour that had risen to his wan cheeks._

_"Maybe... but when the war starts, there's no guarantee that we'll be able to walk through this forest again."_

_The weight of the words captured in Tenten's monotonous lilt caught Neji off-guard, the brevity of her mood registering in his mind at last and augmenting the magnitude of the remorse and compunction swallowing him from within. He found himself gripping both his shapely flexed biceps tightly, realising only then that he had been keeping his forearms crossed the entire time; freeing his right momentarily if only to relieve the accumulated tension a little, he raised it as he attempted feebly to extend the conversation._

_"What's wrong? Are you scared?"_

_The Hyuuga did not mean any flak in such a outrightly blunt question, and he knew that Tenten would comprehend that. Though the atmosphere was still too abstrusely heavy for comfort, he sensed that she would be soon be sharing what was eating away at her core. Tucking his right hand securely back into the inner crevice of his left elbow, Neji gulped down the lump that had appeared in his throat - he wondered for a fleeting moment if at this inopportune time right before the onset of war, either one of them would actually be making a maladroit, awkward confession that neither was ready for._

Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!

_The four blades that were emancipated from their wielder's grasp with a superficially benign flick of fingers, punctured the centres of the wooden boards almost at the exact split second, each eagerly fortifying its depth with an audibly cogent force as a testament of its mistress's adroit finesse with her ninja tools - the four selected targets were strung up at varying heights and vastly differing spots, yet the irrepressible strength and strategic angle that each kunai had embedded itself with could not be denied._

_"Yes. I am scared."_

_Neji lowered his head at Tenten's bold, genuine announcement of her apprehension, even as the long strands of his hair dangling in front of his shoulders rose in response to the gust of wind that was making its presence felt. The blustery rustle that swept through the boundless forest and its capaciously extensive foliage acted as a retaliatory antiphon to the immensity of the kunoichi's words, perhaps even a reproachful animadversion of the male ninja's earlier behaviour for which he was now woefully regretful of. Now that she had begun, she did not seem to be holding her inner turmoil back, crossing Neji's path in order to get to the target boards nearest to her and absent-mindedly removing the kunai she had attacked them with, continuing to speak as her peer followed her route dutifully._

_"I am scared... of the war... of falling dead in some far-off battlefield. But when I think of this forest... and all the training we have been through to become who we are, it puts some of my worries to rest."_

_The stark and expansive greenery of one of Team Gai's oldest, most frequented haunts had never felt as grandiose and acute as the present, and the Hyuuga found his mouth slightly agape at his teammate's sudden cognizance of the forest's under appreciated extravagance. It was an odd rarity for the two to be immersed together in such a considerably fustian exercise - too often had they joined forces to chastise Guy and Lee for their overly stirring, overtly dramatic demonstrations whenever the quartet came across exceptionally scenic routes during their numerous exploits as a team. He felt compelled to reveal that he had done his part and approached his uncle and the head of the Hyuuga clan to keep an eye on her for him at the war front, but he knew that it would go against what he had told his peers a few days ago what not to do - to underestimate his teammate's ability to take care of herself, and give the enemy soldiers something to worry about on the battleground, even if she was to be separated from the rest of the group in Division One._

_"So there is some merit to what Lee has said after all then," Neji mused a few moments later as he joined Tenten in marveling at the grandeur of the terrain, curling his lips up wistfully as he followed the flight path of a flock of chestnut sparrows that had been disturbed by the unyielding breeze. As always, he found his nerves becoming significantly less ragged while admiring the winged creatures' ability to traverse so effortlessly, so freely across the sky, a notion that he attributed to how much he loved the idea of freedom a flying bird symbolised._

_"I guess I do believe in his silly idea," it was now Tenten's turn to tilt her head upwards as she too noticed the sparrows flitting above. Her voice sounded a little lighter, just like his did with his last sentence, and she barely needed to turn back and look at her companion to know that he must be captivated by the birds chasing one another strepitously. "A last test... a ceremony to show this forest what we have learned... even if he's not here."_

_They were now just a mere ten metres away from one of Lee's favourite spots, and both teens stared sullenly at the dried blood that stained the old frayed ropes that encircled sturdy trunks. Neji felt a fervid rush of pride at the thought of his bushy-browed teammate, fully acknowledging that Lee had got to where he was that day as a result of his own beliefs and the incomparable effort he put in to his taijutsu training. His white eyes shifted from the tightly woven ropes' brown crusts to the back of his female teammate again, and the memory of what she had just said made his lips curl up further into a nonchalant smirk that he had been accustomed to wearing whenever he felt it was necessary to prove a point._

_"So... there's no need to wait," he started walking again, moving slowly as he spoke his mind and crossed the distance between them, sensing rightly that it was time to put words into action. "If having this ceremony puts your mind at ease, then I'd be more than happy to assist you. I'd advise you to unleash all your worries and fears onto me. I'll show you the proper way to deal with the fear of death."_

_The girl did not wait for Neji to finish his words, but instead, while he was still talking, finally turned around and took a few steps to stand back to back with one whom she had fought together with so often in the past few years. Still refusing to meet his eyes, Tenten kept quiet for a few seconds after he had finished, before she replied pointedly,_

_"I can tell you are acting tough for me, but I know you're just as scared."_

_Almost as soon her words reached his ears, Neji's face fell, the smile plastered on his handsome features vanishing at once and causing his lips to droop. From the way Tenten's voice had lifted in its energy the past seconds, he did not need his Byakugan to see that conversely, her own lips were now drawn upwards, knowing that the short exchange between them had actually successfully raised her spirits. Ironically, though she had not meant to, what she had just said was causing a slight upheaval within - somehow, only Tenten could read him like a book, and though he was more than comfortable with this idea, he now realised that even he had not actually admitted to himself that he also possessed deep-rooted anxieties with regard to their upcoming foray into war._

_Hearing the fleet-footed movement behind him made him turn, and true enough, the plucky brown-haired kunoichi had sailed through the air and landed neatly ten metres away after turning a graceful pirouette, her recently morose facade replaced by her usual demeanour of sprightly spunk and active mischief._

_"Your absolute defence has progressed, but that doesn't mean I haven't grown as well!" she now pronounced brightly, having released one of her smaller scrolls from the confines of the belt holster that was adorned around her slim waist. "Are you ready?"_

_"Well said," Neji returned the mocking tone of this sudden reversal with his usual stalwart stance, suppressing the insecurities that his cherished teammate had unwittingly managed to churn within him. Not wanting to show her that he had been affected, especially since he seemed to have managed to lighten her mood, the Jounin raised his hands in portrayal of his respect for his partner, one whose skills and expertise had been taken for granted by others. "There's no need to hold back. Come at me with everything you've got."_

_"Just make sure you don't tell Lee, okay?"_

_The wink that Tenten gave him now made him shudder slightly as he felt an uncanny knot in his gut once again, and he attempted to cover it up by uttering a curt scoff, "Of course not." As the Chunin unfurled her scroll and released a red bo-staff into her right palm, her facial features hardened as she faced her current foe, brows coming together as her lips drew themselves tight. Just as Neji Hyuuga activated the infamous dojutsu he was cursed with and had derided for most of his growing up years, he caught the unmistakable glint of fight burning fervently in the brown doe-eyes of his feisty partner as she raced towards him, and knew with utmost confidence and ardour that with or without his presence, Tenten of Konohagakure was more than ready to do her part in the Fourth Shinobi War._


End file.
